Let’s face it, there’s no good way of breaking it off with someone, but you can do your part to lessen the impact of the breakup. In dating scenarios that have lasted only a few months, you won’t need to go through a long, drawn out breakup process like you might in a long-term relationship, but you still should handle your love-interest with care. Here are some do’s and don’ts for breaking up nicely with a love-interest in the early months of dating.
DO show compassion.
Don’t be a jerk. Your love-interest may have been really into you and may have been expecting to date you for a long time. Put yourself in his or her shoes and break it to them gently. The ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ excuse can work brilliantly here if it’s sincere.
DON’T break up via text, email, or social media.
How impersonal can you get?! It would almost be better to just ignore your love-interest altogether than end things electronically. A text or email breakup is basically saying that you don’t have any respect for him or her. It also shows that you are a taking the easy way out of your new relationship. Don’t be a wuss!
DO be honest.
Maybe you’re not ready for a serious relationship, or maybe you’d just rather be friends. Most people will understand reasons like these for ending a budding relationship. He or she will still be upset, but at least they’ll have an idea as to why you’re ending things. Knowledge can sometimes soften the blow.
DON’T be brutal.
There’s no need to tell your love-interest the mean-spirited specifics of why you’re choosing to move on. They don’t need to know that you’ve met someone you’re more attracted to or that you think he or she is boring. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
DO offer friendship.
If you really like your love-interest, but you have different relationship goals or objectives, you may want to try and remain friends after your breakup. Just because someone isn’t a love match doesn’t mean that you don’t connect well with each other. The two of you actually may be better as friends than you could have ever been as partners.
DON’T make insincere promises.
If you have no intention of calling to check in on your ex love-interest, or don’t plan on meeting them for coffee regularly, don’t tell him or her that you will. If you do want to keep in touch, simply say that and make specific plans later. Don’t make promises you may not be able to keep as the two of you move on with your lives.
A breakup is never easy, but the least you can do is treat your former love-interest with respect. Because it’s a breakup in the early months of the relationship, your love-interest will hopefully be able to adapt to this shift more easily. Yes, he or she will be upset, but your classiness should help ease his or her heartache.
Hugs,
Erin ‘The Dating Advice Girl’
She is the author of The Dating Guidebook, and is continuing to build her Dating Advice Girl brand through various products and services. Find me on the WEB, FACEBOOK and TWITTER.
Latest posts by The Dating Advice Girl (see all)
- How To Deal With Hearing No by @DatingAdviceGrl – May 20, 2013
- Dating Multiple People in the Early Months by @DatingAdviceGrl – May 13, 2013
- Wingwoman, Assisting A Pickup Artist by @DatingAdviceGrl – May 6, 2013
- I’m Polyamorous, She’s Monogamous by @DatingAdviceGrl – April 29, 2013
- Are You Too Alpha On Dates? by @DatingAdviceGrl – April 22, 2013
