If you’re feeling lonely at the holidays, look no further than your inbox. It may be time to read some of your emails from a former love that you met on your favorite online dating site.
If you have the urge to reconnect with an ex at the holidays, know that it’s normal.
As a dating expert and relationship coach, many of my clients and their friends are telling me they’ve reconnected this holiday season with long-lost loves. Yes, you’re recycling an ex, but why not give it a shot again with someone you have a history with?
Perhaps it starts off innocently in November with a text message or email saying “Happy Thanksgiving.” It’s a safe way to reach out and reconnect without feeling you’ll get rejected by picking up the phone. If you receive a favorable reply, it’s likely to make you feel warm and fuzzy.
You may find yourself projecting into the future. Should you ask him or her to the office holiday party? What are their Christmas and New Year?s plans?
With holiday break-up season at its peak, it?s normal to wonder if he or she is in a relationship of still thinks about you from time-to-time.
What are the rules for recycling an ex at the holidays?
Here are 5 tips on how to attend a special holiday event with your former beau or girlfriend to make it a better experience for all involved.
1. Don’t try to pick up where you left off. Don?t assume your ex wants to get back together long-term. Try and look at this as a new friendship or the beginning of a new relationship that just happened to resurface during the holidays. Don?t start planning your future all over again and keep the expectations low. Live in the moment on your first date together.
2. Don’t talk about your dating history while you were apart. Perhaps one of you had a lusty affair and the other never got over your initial break-up. There’s no reason to compare bad date stories or wonder how many people your ex went to bed with. Keep the conversation on a need-to-know basis. They simply don?t need to know what happened during your hiatus.
3. Do keep the conversation light and easy. Just like your initial first dates, remember to leave the drama behind. You might think the familiarity should allow you to accelerate things, but being a “Debbie or Donnie Downer” will turn him or her away faster than you can imagine. Ask about his or her family and how work is going or talk about the latest accomplishments of your children. If your former love interest says they?re seeing someone, respect their relationship status and don’t try to talk them out of it.
4. Don’t talk about what went wrong. You know the reason you broke up. He or she knows the reason you broke up. There?s no need to rehash the past and spend time going down memory lane.
5. Don’t sleep together. Avoid being overly affectionate in public the first time you see each other after a break-up. Unless you really want a “Friends with Benefits” relationship, don’t immediately end up back in bed. You may wake up regretting it in the morning when your emotions are at an all-time high, as you wonder where the relationship will go.
If all goes well, hopefully you’ll put a second date on the calendar. Or better yet, you’ll rekindle a friendship with someone you admire who has a network of friends he or she might introduce you to.
If you have personally experienced recycling an ex, feel free to share your stories and comment. If you’re interested in trying some of our favorite dating sites, click here.
Julie Spira is an online dating and relationship expert. She creates irresistible profiles for singles on the dating scene. Julie?s the author of the bestseller, The Perils of Cyber-Dating. For more dating advice, visit CyberDatingExpert.com, where you can sign up for the Weekly Flirt. Follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and at Facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert.
Julie Spira is America's Top Online Dating Expert. She's an award-winning dating coach who's been helping singles find love online for 25+ years. Follow @JulieSpira on IG.
