advice for a breakup/break

[lycheefan]

my boyfriend and i agreed to take a break for some time... but i sort of need advice on how to go about this t_t
i don't know if i should stop talking to him completely during it? or if i should just treat him like a friend? any articles/ advice is greatly appreciated and i can answer any questions about it t_t thank you

[Carly]

Hey lycheefan -- trying to figure out how to treat a significant other while you're on a break can be confusing. As for what you should do, I'm not sure. Only you know know what will work best for you in the situation. Something I highly suggest you do is think about what would make you feel the most comfortable in the situation. If there is still some contact between you two at the moment, I think establishing some boundaries with your boyfriend directly would be really helpful. That way you can discuss what you both need during this time and communicate that to each other. If you go this route, I suggest taking a look at Be a Blabbermouth!. Though this resource is primarily about expressing feelings about sex to a partner, there are a lot of good tips that can be applied to conversations about setting boundaries.

I also think these might be helpful:
- Getting Through a Breakup Without Actually Breaking - I know you're just on a break right now, but I think this could be helpful in processing romantic separation even if its temporary
- How To Actually Date Yourself - again, I know you aren't officially single... but this has a lot of good tips on how to enjoy spending time with yourself and connecting to things you like to do.

I hope this helps! How are you feeling about everything?

[lycheefan]

thank you!! i'll definitely read through those.
as for how im feeling, when we first talked about it i was really upset.. talked to some friends and it helped. that was yesterday and im feeling
a little better but it still sucks because honestly.. he was probably the first person ive ever really been in love with, and even if i sort of knew it wouldn't last forever it still really hurts. i'll read through the articles