Maybe you both knew it was time to call it quits, but that doesn’t make ending a long-term relationship any easier.
Even if you can’t wait to get away from each other and move on to greener pastures, that doesn’t mean you can just suddenly switch your feelings for one another off out of nowhere.
Eventually, whether it’s a few weeks after your breakup or a few months later, the guy will start to miss you and what you had together.
Here are some things likely to set that feeling off.
1. He sees you with someone else
This is one of the most classic reasons a guy will start to miss you after your breakup. You’ve moved on from him and you’re actually really happy with someone new (or think you could be) and all of a sudden, your ex realizes he still has feelings for you and really wishes you were in his life. Of course, the chances that his feelings are genuine and not just reactionary are pretty slim, but who knows?
2. He notices how happy you are without him
Even if you’re not in another relationship, if you’re not just surviving but thriving without him, it’s only natural that this guy is going to miss you. Chances are, you were just as vibrant and badass when you first met, which is what attracted him to you in the first place. Now that he sees you through new eyes again, he suddenly feels heartsick at no longer being your boyfriend.
3. He’s forced to handle his own responsibilities
If, during your relationship, you were the one who did most of the heavy lifting when it came to taking care of responsibilities — paying bills, doing the housework, putting in the mental labor many women do — and now you’re not there to do it, it’s only a matter of time before it dawns on him that he’s screwed and he’s going to have to get off his butt and take control of his own life. This alone is a pretty crappy reason for a guy to miss you after your breakup, but you’d be surprised at how often it happens.
4. He suddenly realizes he messed up
It sucks that he didn’t come to this realization while you were still together, but better late than never, I suppose? If the reason you split came down to his behavior (or lack thereof), it’s going to hit him pretty hard when he realizes that the reasons he lost you were all his fault. However, just because he suddenly gets it doesn’t mean it’ll change, so this isn’t a good reason to go back to him.
5. He’s lonely and/or bored
Maybe he played the field a bit, had a few random hookups with girls he met on dating apps or at the bar, but now the thrill of that has worn off and he’s sitting alone on his couch on a Tuesday night with nothing to do and no one to talk to and he misses you. Oh well!
