An 'EX' or a Friend?

Can you be friends after a break up? Do you know where to draw the line?

To be involved with a man or woman and have no strings attached might seem 'to some' like the ideal relationship. Suppose you have met someone and the love between the two of you is great but nothing besides that is in place.

You do like this person but besides the sex and their company you are not very interested in a relationship. So, is it possible to go back to being just friends and remove the sexuality completely? For some, you may even wonder if it is worth remaining friends? The answer is yes; if you do get along with a person and enjoy their company, it is possible to go back to being 'just friends'.

The first thing to do is ask yourself why you want to remain in this person's acquaintance. Yes love can change a lot of things between two people, but it should not be the reason to lose out on knowing what could be a great guy or girl. If the two of you are mature enough to leave aside the love angle and remain platonic, then do so. It is hard to come by good friends and if you have found one, keep him or her.

If you decide to remain friends, you need to figure out if the other person wants the same thing. It might be a little hard for you to be just friends with someone who wants more from you than just a casual conversation or a heart to heart. So, first, sit down and talk about whether or not he or she is interested in knowing you simply as a buddy.

Once you decide to remain friends, the best way to go about ensuring your intentions would be to avoid spending too much time alone with him or her, at least for the first few times. When the two of you meet, do so in the company of common friends or at public places. Try to avoid the night outs. Instead, meet up with him or her during the day and spend the entire day together if you want. This does not mean you don't go out together at night at all. Just, initially, meet during the day and once you have an idea of where to draw the line, you can always party together again.

Despite your best efforts, you may still find yourself in a situation where you're tempted to 'relapse'. If you ever feel like you might give in to temptation, part ways to avoid the inevitable consequences.

Be aware that you may be on different time lines. Just because the time may feel right for you to start being friends again, doesn't mean that the time is right for him or her. Pick up on the hints if he or she seems like they need some space, and be willing to give it to him or her.

So be mature and know when to draw the line, so as to avoid losing someone who could be a good friend to you.

Sometimes all you want to do is get things back to the way they once were. It is no easy task, but it can be done. Check out these tips and learn how to go back to being just friends.