Whether you’ve been through a nasty divorce or a bad breakup, you need ample time to heal. But how do you know if your heart is ready for another try at a fulfilling relationship? Here are some telltale signs.
1. You No Longer Feel Angry… or Hurt
Feeling hurt or angry at your ex is a natural response when a relationship ends. This is especially true when you think you were cheated or betrayed. Time can be an awesome healing balm and when you no longer feel any of those negative emotions, that’s a good sign that you’re making space in your heart and is ready to replace those with positive ones.
2. You Don’t Think About Your Ex Anymore
There was a time when every place, event, or even a brand reminds you of your ex. The moment you go through a month (or maybe months, for good measure) without your ex slowly creeping back into your mind and triggering a trove of unwanted emotions, that should tell you that you’re finally taking a step forward.
3. You’re Happy Where You Are
If you once again find joy in doing the things you used to love or you enjoy time with your friends and don’t feel that you have to be in a relationship to be complete, then you’ve become emotionally stable. You can safely check out a matchmaking app, as you’re now equipped to handle a new relationship if you want someone to spread around that happiness.
4. You Can Own Up to Your Mistakes
You probably have a long list of things your former lover have done wrong following a bad breakup. Playing the blame game might be a normal response when you feel you’ve been short-changed in the relationship. The truth is, breakups are almost never caused solely by one party or event.
Most often, it’s a culmination of a series of mistakes both of you made over the course of the relationship. If you can accept this truth and recognize your fair share of shortcomings, this puts in the best place to be better when you start to date again.
5. You Can Trust Again
When you’ve been cheated, treated poorly, or even abused in a previous relationship, it would take a toll on your ability to trust other people again. However, you need to rise above that tragedy and recognize that the new person you’re dating is different. You can’t start acting suspicious all the time just because someone else in your past has betrayed your trust. There’s a place to learn from your past, but to make generalizations because of one person’s treatment of you is detrimental to your future relationship.
6. You Pass the Bruise Test… with Flying Colors
Ever experienced a nasty bruise? When you push on that sore area, you know you’re not completely healed when it still hurts — regardless of its appearance. The same is true with matters of the heart. A breakup is painful. If you start poking around your heart and it still hurts, you’re still in the process of healing. Give yourself ample to do just that. And when you’re ready, your heart will tell you.
Don’t let anyone or anything pressure you to dive into another relationship after a nasty breakup. Love yourself enough to heal and when the right time comes, you and your new partner will thank you for it.
