No matter how many relationships you’ve had or how confident you are, breaking up is hard to deal with. Many a men find themselves wallowing at what could have been when a relationship goes sour; in fact, people do all kinds of crazy things to cope with the difficulties of a breakup. We won’t blame you if you find yourself resorting to desperate measures to reconnect with your ex, but we will warn you. Read on for the top five things you should never do after a breakup.

DON’T Try To Be Friends With Your Ex

Although it can be emotionally important to ‘make nice’ after a breakout, there is no good reason to be friends with your ex. The more difficult the breakup was on either of you, the more time you should spend with zero contact between you. In fact, it may be beneficial to eradicate all reminders of your ex from your life. Hanging around with your ex after you’ve split or trying to force a friendship is a poor replacement for the feelings you once had for each other and should not be attempted unless enough time has passed that you’ve genuinely forgiven each other. 

DON’T Drink Your Sorrows Away

Sometimes a bit of drinking and chilling with good friends is just what the doctor ordered after a hard breakup, but this is not the same as binging on booze to forget your emotional pain. Excess drinking, or smoking or drugs, is a form of self-medicating that should not be indulged in when you’re in a vulnerable state. Talk to someone if you need help or are considering extreme measures.

DON’T Give Up On Yourself

When an important relationship ends, it can feel like your entire life is over. It may take some time for you to discover a new perspective and passion for life, but if you don’t give yourself the chance to be happy, you never will be. When going through a breakup, it’s necessary to take extra care of yourself physically and mentally. Exercise, socialize, read more, pursue new hobbies. Don’t feel pressured to start dating right away; put energy into becoming the best version of you possible and you’ll start to feel awesome again.

Just because you want to impress your date doesn’t mean you need to blow your budget on fancy restaurants, expensive flowers or private fireworks displays. In fact, many women appreciate the chance to spend quality time with their date regardless of the amount of money he is willing to shell out. Here are some fun ideas for dates that won’t break the bank.

Picnic In The Park

I don’t know why this isn’t a more popular date idea, especially during the summer months. Seriously, picnics can be extremely romantic. The thought and effort you put in to planning a delicious, portable meal with make your date swoon; or you can spend the morning together packing the perfect lunch for your picnic baskets. All you need is some cold drinks, a blanket and a sunny day so you can sit outside.

A Game Of Pool

Nothing breaks the ice like a bit of competition, so why not challenge your date to a game of pool at the local dive bar? Usually you pay by the hour, but it’s not expensive and you can stay for as long as you want. Tease your date about that shot she missed or teach each other your secret moves. If you play at a bar or pub, you can always break for a quick snack or meal if the date runs longer than expected. Another bonus is that most pool halls serve alcohol, so you can indulge in a drink or two if you’re nervous.

Backyard BBQ

Another excellent way to spend your summer evenings is enjoying the taste of home grilled meat. Impress your date with your barbecuing skills and serve up your favourite main course with a side of grilled veggies. Spend your meal in the backyard watching the sunset, sharing ribs and making fun of each other for dripping barbeque sauce everywhere.

Sometimes it can seem like you put so much effort into getting a woman’s number that asking her out is the end goal. But what about once she actually agrees to meet up with you? The dating scene is tough to navigate, because every person you go out with will have unique expectations and judge aspects of the date differently; however, there are a number of things that are universally recognized as major red flags on a first date. Don’t make any of these mistakes, and watch that your date doesn’t make them either!

Uninterested Body Language 

Everything from the direction you point your feet to your posture can send signals to your date about how into her you are. Feet are particularly telling when it comes to revealing how interested you are. If you find your feet pointing away from your date and towards another attractive woman or, worse, the door, try to rearrange yourself to demonstrate your interest.

Refusing To Offer To Pay

Of course, the man shouldn’t have to pay on a first date; however, depending on how old fashioned you or your date are, you should at least offer to pay. That being said, your date shouldn’t expect you to foot the entire bill yourself. Take it as a warning sign if she doesn’t at least offer to split the cost or pay for herself. If one of you continues to insist on paying, it’s best to let it happen rather than continue arguing. Otherwise, the person who did the asking out should offer to pay.

Falling Too Quickly

There’s nothing wrong with being excited that you connect with someone new, but a good conversation and chemistry doesn’t automatically make you a couple. Never, ever start to talk about having a future together on a first date—this is not a fairytale. It’s never a good idea to jump into a relationship, and first dates are too soon for anything besides flirting and getting to know about each other.