Bumping into an ex can be very awkward trust me. It is even more awkward in odd situations like your lazy day or your down time. It is bound to happen darling, I mean how many people are actually in the world? Unless you moved to the middle of the earth, that place there are so much snakes…yes Ecuador and never returned (but even then), the chances of running into your ex are too high for you to not have an emergency plan in your back pocket. Imagine how you want this encounter to go. What will make you feel good about yourself after the encounter? Know what you’re going to say and do so that in the moment you can play it out with no regrets.
Here are some tips that could help the meeting somewhat unawkward:
Avoid physical contact
It can be hard to know how to handle physical contact with someone you used to be intimate with. Avoid the awkward hugging or strange handshaking by choosing not to touch them at all.
Don’t forget why you separated at first
No relationship is all sunshine and rainbows with frolicking bunny rabbits. There were reasons you broke up. Remember those so that you don’t get caught romanticizing the good parts of your relationship.
It’s awkward, it’s okay to say it
If it’s awkward, you can say it. It will feel good to break the ice. Just make sure you maintain a level of confidence when you do it.
Don’t show off
Going off about your amazing new boyfriend is, or how fantastic you’re doing at work conveys insecurity instead of confidence. You have nothing to prove to them.
Keep it impersonal
There was a time when this person knew the depths of your soul, but that time is not now. Keep your conversation surface level so that you don’t appear too invested in this encounter or dredge up unwanted feelings.
Do NOT ever lie
Avoiding dishonesty is simple life advice but it needs to be mentioned here nonetheless. When you get with an ex, it can be so tempting to exaggerate, and let’s be real, they’ll see through it.
Be mature
Be the better person. It can be challenging because sometimes they can bring out the worst in you, or just make you want to get back at them. But really, there is nothing more satisfying than knowing you took the high road.
Keep it short and shallow
By no means should you let the ex persuade you to have a drink and catch up on life. Where is that going to go? Nowhere good. Keep this encounter quick and snappy. Even a vague excuse is better than continuing to chat it up for longer than necessary.
Recover
Even if you’re totally over your ex, even if you’ve moved on to another relationship, you still may have some emotional baggage as a result of your encounter with the ex. Give yourself a little “me time” if you need. It is okay to feast on that chocolate bar plus ice cream. No matter how much you are over someone seeing them surprisingly sparks up some memory. Don’t beat yourself darling just share with a friend.