You might know it is the right decision for both of you, but still, breaking up is never easy. A calm well-intended conversation can turn into an argument as emotions run high or someone can feel hurt, or rejected.
Often people who have made peace with their decision still do not know the best way to break off the relationship and wish for some kind of blueprint in how to approach such a difficult situation. The Independent spoke to relationship therapist Gurpreet Singh about the best way to handle a potentially difficult decision.
Sometimes the difficulties start before the breaking up when someone thinks they have made the right decision but can find themselves nervous or doubting their choice. “Breaking up really is hard to do,” Singh says. “There are no hard and fast rules about when a relationship is over – it’s usually a feeling that builds over time that things just aren’t right, that you and your partner aren’t making each other happy anymore, that the bad times are outweighing the good. That ‘it doesn’t feel like it used to.
“The beginning of a relationship can be intoxicating and it’s easy to get swept away in a bubble of happiness. But with time and life changes, the intoxication might wear off. It’s also possible that you or your partner might change in different directions. The reasons for the drift in the relationship or the distance that develops between you is not always clear. “As things deteriorate, both partners could experience a range of emotions like upset, anger, sadness, shock, let down and perhaps even a bit of relief as the reality of the inevitable break-up sets in.”
Singh says the most important factor when breaking up with someone is honesty. It is important to be honest with your partner and yourself – explaining all the reasons you have for ending the relationship and listening to them. It is important not to leave any stones unturned, even if you feel it is nicer to hide certain parts of the truth. He adds (“of course, if a relationship is in any way unsafe then removing yourself is the absolute priority”).