Friendship Day 2022: Tips on how to be friends with your ex-lover

Most of us often wonder whether being friends with an ex-lover is even a thing and possible and whether doing so will be detrimental to your mental health, hinder your ability to move on or create problems with a new partner. Truth be told, not all relationships are built to last and couples naturally grow apart or no longer be attracted to one another, which means there isn’t always a victim and villain.

If cannot wrap your head around pursuing the relationship, you could still be friends if you and your ex are neighbours, co-workers or share a child(ren), business(es) or animal(s). If you are able to have a healthy, positive relationship with your ex without any difficulty, complications, unnecessary mess or pain, then creating an authentic friendship could work after mutually deciding to stay connected as friends post your split as a couple.

However, before you dive into a platonic relationship with a former lover, there are some rules of being friends with your ex that you should never forget. Flirting and romantic plans are off limits. This excludes even casual flirting in the form of jokes and romantic gestures as one party could feel awkward or reawaken interest or feelings, which would be a disaster and additional emotional pain.

Meet in public to reduce the chances of getting intimate with your ex and never late at night or at a place that you used to frequent as a couple. Set boundaries and instead of assuming that new boundaries are in place, collaboratively agree on physical, emotional, time or energetic boundaries to avoid sliding back into romantic territory or create a false hope of getting back together.

Don’t seek love, attention, affection or drunk text an ex-turned-friend. Re-assess how you communicate with each other, for how long and establish new boundaries, especially if you are co-workers or co-parents.