If you’re worried about what it’s going to be like dating after a breakup, that’s a normal feeling. But dating should be a fun and happy experience.
Finding true love after a breakup might seem intimidating or even impossible, but when you’re truly ready to start seeing people again, you’ll have no need to worry.
When it comes to finding true love, timing is everything. And that doesn’t simply mean being at the right place at the right time to meet the right person.
It also means being the right person, so that you’ll be ready to attract and meet the right person for you at this time in your life. In that regard, timing is more about discernment and knowing yourself than it is about luck.
Here are some signs that your life is giving you a green light to start dating again after a breakup:
1. You’ve learned from your past relationship
This is so important. If you don’t take the time to examine your past relationship — the good and the bad — for lessons about yourself, you’re missing the point of relationships.
Learning from your past experiences is about taking personal accountability. And personal accountability leads to emotional maturity.
It will also keep you from repeating past mistakes and help you make wiser decisions for the next relationship.
2. You aren’t thinking or talking about your ex all the time
If you’ve ever had a first date with someone who was fresh out of a relationship, you know how icky the dinner conversation can be.
You feel like a third wheel or marriage counselor, because all your date can talk about is their ex. “She always,” “he never,” “her coldness,” “his avoidance.”
Simply put, don’t be that person. If you’re still in that stage, don’t drag a new person’s hopes and dreams through your old business.
3. You’ve cleared your ex out of your social media life
When you lose interest in whether or not your ex is happy, dating, or getting a promotion, you’re on the right track.
Whatever energy you stop devoting to your ex is the energy you can devote to yourself… And a potentially awesome new person.
“Delete” can be a very empowering word.
4. You realize that you’re not reminiscing very much
That moment of sudden awareness that it’s been several days or weeks since you’ve actually thought about your past relationship is golden! And if that awareness makes you smile instead of cry, you’re ready to open yourself to dating again.
5. You like the idea of having someone new in your life.
Careful with this one. There can be a fine line between needing someone in your life (remember the person searching online while still in a relationship?) and loving life in a relationship.
When you start envisioning your best life and best self, and you see someone else along for the journey, that’s a good sign.
