Every single day I get hundreds of comments, emails and Facebook messages on my Facebook Page asking me all kinds of questions about the no contact rule. Now, when I first started this site I didn’t mind answering the same questions over and over again because for me it was mind blowing that so many people wanted advice from me.
Of course, time is a great equalizer and pretty soon answering the same questions over and over again began to wear on me.
For example, I am guaranteed to answer the following three questions pretty much every single day.
” My ex boyfriend has a birthday coming up should I break the no contact rule to wish him a happy birthday?”
” I work with my ex so how am I supposed to do the no contact rule?”
” What do I do if my ex boyfriend doesn’t contact me during the NC period? Should I just stay in NC until he contacts me?”
One of the most annoying things for me when I write about relationships is that no two relationships are ever alike. Each one is unique in it’s own way. Now, this can be an incredible thing for the two people experiencing the relationship but for me, someone who is trying to help others by looking for trends, it can be quite annoying as there are so many situations that I have to cover.
The no contact is not immune to this principle as evidenced by the many different situations that can accompany it.
In fact, I often find myself wishing there was some sort of cheat sheet I could point people to so that all their NC questions could be answered in a snap. Unfortunately, no such cheat sheet exists…
UNTIL NOW!
What Are Your Chances of Getting Your Ex Boyfriend Back?
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What Is The Point Of This Page?
I have high ambitions for this page.
Here is my big vision.
Imagine that you are about to embark on the incredibly hard task of implementing a period of no contact on your ex boyfriend. You understand the basic principle of no contact but midway through your no contact a situation arises and you don’t know how to handle it.
The Situation- Your ex boyfriend wants his things back from your house.
All of a sudden you are panicking because you have no idea what to do? Are you supposed to break the no contact? Are you supposed to stick with it and be rude?
That is where this guide comes in. It is my goal to put down every possible situation I can think of that you could possibly encounter during the no contact period on this page so it can serve as a “cheat sheet” or a “go to” guide that you can reference for an easy answer.
Of course, for me it’s not enough just to give you the answer. I want to explain to you why “the answer” is important so not only are you going to have all of your no contact questions answered but you are going to understand why they are answered the way they are answered.
Here are the situations I will be covering,
- What to do if you or your ex boyfriend want to get your things back.
- How to handle NC if you work with your ex.
- How to approach the no contact rule if you have a child with your ex boyfriend.
- What about if you live together?
- Can you break NC to wish your boyfriend a happy birthday?
Now, before we start dissecting these items one by one I feel it is important to mention that I want this particular guide to be completely comprehensive. So, if you can think of any other situations (that can occur during the no contact period) then make me aware of them in the comments section and I will update this page to answer them.
Yes, I really will!
What Are Your Chances of Getting Your Ex Boyfriend Back?
Take the quizI want you ladies to be involved in this process so we can create the ultimate cheat sheet for people who have questions about no contact.
A Brief Introduction
In this section I am going to assume that you have no knowledge what-so-ever on what the no contact rule is. So, since you don’t know what the no contact rule is I am going to give you a quick crash course.
The No Contact Rule- A period of time (which you select) in which you completely ignore your ex in every way imaginable. That means no texting, calling, Facetiming, Skyping or emailing.
Probably what you want to hear is how the no contact rule can help you if you decide to use it.
I have always found that examples are best for explaining stuff like this. So, lets use an example!
Lets say that your boyfriend broke up with you because you were a little too clingy during your relationship. Obviously after the break up you are very heartbroken and you take to the internet to find a way to get your ex back. Luckily you end up on my website, Ex Boyfriend Recovery, and learn about the no contact rule.
Now, if you did a good job reading my site you would know that I am a fan of the 30 day no contact rule for most cases (21 days in some cases.) So, you decide that you are going to implement a month long no contact period where you completely ignore your ex by essentially freezing him out of your life.
Lets hit the pause button for a second and look at things from your exes perspective now.
Your boyfriend broke up with you because you were too clingy. After the breakup it will probably be normal for him to feel a sense of freedom since he doesn’t feel so “weighed down” by you anymore. Of course, you did have a lot of amazing qualities outside of the clinginess and as time goes on your ex boyfriend begins to think back to those qualities.
Now, since you were clingy he is probably expecting you to contact him first after the break up. Of course, that doesn’t happen since you are abiding by a strict 30 day NC rule. By day 10 of this no contact period your ex begins to get a little antsy and decides to break the ice first with a simple little text message.
He waits and waits and waits and no response to his text message.
This has been the first time that you have ever ignored him and all of a sudden he begins to see your value.
By ignoring him you are proving to him that you know your own value and that you don’t need him to be happy.
One of the best insights I can give you about men is the fact that we all want to feel needed or wanted. We all want to believe that we are like a god in your eyes. So, by ignoring your ex boyfriend in this case you are essentially telling him that you don’t need him to survive. You don’t need him for anything and this fact is going to drive him nuts.
Remember, men want what they can’t have and the no contact rule is a strong statement that they can’t have you.
FYI, it really works.
Now that you have a better idea of what the no contact rule is lets take a look at how to handle it during some of the most complicated situations.
What To Do If You Or Your Boyfriend Wants To Get Your Things Back During NC
(Learn how to get your boyfriend back with The No Contact Rule Book.)
When you are with someone for a long time it is normal for the two of you to swap items here and there.
For example, lets say that your boyfriend has an apartment and you still live at home with your parents (no judgement here.) Lets also say that you dated your boyfriend for well over a year. Well, sometime throughout that year I am assuming that you stayed over his place for the night or left some of your things there.
Well, most likely a time is going to come when you are going to want your things back.
What Are Your Chances of Getting Your Ex Boyfriend Back?
Take the quiz(Side Note: There also may be cases where he leaves things with you and wants to get them back.)
The question on the table right now is how do you approach this situation if you are in the middle of a no contact rule.
Do you ignore him if he wants his things back?
Do you not say anything if you want your things back from him?
Funny thing is that I get this question pretty much every single day on the site. So, exchanging items after a break up is a very common situation you could find yourself in if you are in the middle of the no contact rule.
Here’s what you do.
How To Handle This Situation
In my mind there are really two different approaches on how to handle this and it all depends on what situation you find yourself in.
What do I mean by that?
Well, is it him asking for his things back or is it you that wants your things back from him?
Lets start with the easiest situation, you wanting your things back from him.
What To Do If YOU Want Your Things Back
The first thing you need to determine is how badly you want your things back.
Are the items that you want back very important to you or can you live without them?
In a perfect world you would have left items with him that you wouldn’t have really cared about. A toothbrush or hairbrush would be a perfect example of this. If you have left items like this with your ex don’t worry about breaking the no contact rule to get them since they aren’t really that important.
Remember, a perfect no contact is one where you don’t have to break your silence for anything.
Of course, exceptions sometimes have to be made.
Lets say that the items you left with your ex mean a lot to you and you absolutely need them back. Well, in this case I think we can make an exception and break the no contact rule so you can get them back.
Here’s the thing though, when you do break the no contact rule to talk to your ex about getting your things don’t get sucked into a conversation with him about anything other than getting your things back. If he tries to talk to you about your relationship with him don’t engage him with it at all.
This is strictly business and the business in question is getting your things back. That is all you talk to him about.
Lets talk a little about how you should approach seeing him in person when you do go to get your things. A lot of women who want their exes back turn to jelly when they see their man. Under no circumstances can you turn to jelly. Just like the initial discussion over getting your things back this is strictly business and that business is just to get your things back.
What Are Your Chances of Getting Your Ex Boyfriend Back?
Take the quizNow, this doesn’t mean you should be rude to your ex boyfriend. In fact, you should do exactly the opposite, be extremely nice and bubbly.
Don’t let him know that anything is wrong with you or that you are even hurt about the breakup.
Now, your ex may try to bring up your old relationship in person. If he does this simply say the following to him,
“I am not comfortable talking about that right now.”
Remember, your goal is to just get your things and get out as soon as you can. Don’t linger or talk to your ex about anything else. If you ex does try to talk to you about normal stuff like the weather don’t be mean to him. You can engage him but just be really short with him.
What do I mean by that?
Your Ex: “We have been having some nice weather lately haven’t we?”
You: ” We sure have…”
One last thing before we move on. I don’t want you to hug or kiss your ex at all. You are still technically in no contact and I don’t want him to think he even has a chance with you. In fact, I want him to feel what its like to be alone without you.
Why?
Because it’s going to make him realize that being without you is not a very good feeling.
What To Do If HE Wants His Things Back
If your ex boyfriend calls you up one day and asks you if he can have his things back during the no contact rule this kind of paints you in a corner where you are going to have to break the no contact rule to give him his things back.
Why does this paint you into a corner?
Well, with the situation above you had the privilege of choosing whether or not your things were important enough to take back. If you decided that they were important then you could contact your ex. In this case your ex has already contacted you which means he has deemed his things important enough to take back.
The protocol is pretty much the same as above.
Business is business and that business is giving him his things back.
When you see him in person be super bubbly and friendly but be kind of short. Don’t engage him about your relationship with him. Just make the meeting about HIS things. After he has left with his things you jump right back into the no contact rule.
How To Handle NC If You Work With Your Ex Boyfriend
(Learn what to do if you live with an ex during the no contact rule with the No Contact Rule Book.)
The no contact rule pretty much hinges on the fact that you are supposed to completely freeze out your ex for a certain amount of time. Of course, this “freeze out” can be quite challenging to do if you see your ex on a daily basis due to the fact that you work together.
When I first wrote about the no contact rule I didn’t really think that much about the many different situations that you could encounter if you were to do something like this. To me the concept of the no contact rule seemed pretty simple. You pick a certain time frame that you should do the NC in and you do it (meaning you freeze out your ex.)
Of course, it wasn’t until I started getting comments that I started to realize that for many people the no contact rule can be quite challenging.
In fact, one of the first comments I got pointing out a problem with NC was like this,
Hi Chris,
I really want to do the no contact rule but I might have a bit of an issue. My ex and I met through work and we still work together. Will it be possible for me to try the no contact rule since we still work together?
This situation made me think of other people in similar situations.
I mean, what if you are going to school and you have a bunch of classes with your ex so you are forced to see him?
What about if you attend a certain event for work and your ex shows up. What are you supposed to do then?
Well, here is the smartest solution I can think of.
What To Do If You Work With Your Ex Boyfriend
The first thing I would like to talk about here is what you should look like.
I think I can speak for all men when I say that we are very visual creatures. Yes, a woman needs to have a lot more than looks to captivate a man but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that how you look doesn’t matter. I know a lot of experts would have you believe that all you need is an amazing personality to make a man yours but if I am being 100% honest with you I am not quite sure I believe that.
Take one of my good male friends for example.
He once told me that he would never date someone who he thought was unattractive. In other words, he is basically saying that even if he met a girl with the best personality in history he still wouldn’t date her if he found her unattractive.
As a general rule of thumb I would just say that you should assume that any man you meet is the most shallow person ever.
So, what does any of this have to do with approaching the NC at work?
Well, you are going to be seeing your ex on a daily basis if you work with him so you really have two choices on how to approach the situation.
- You can look like the breakup is breaking you.
- You can look like the breakup is making you.
Now, just using your common sense what do you think most men are going to find more attractive?
A woman who looks like a million bucks after the breakup.
Wear your make up.
Wear your nicest clothes.
Wear your a push up bra if you have to.
If you feel you could lose a few pounds then get your butt to the gym and lose those pounds.
I want your ex to be unbelievably attracted to you every single time he sees you in person. I want him to want you in the dirtiest ways.
Why?
Because if you can get him to think of you like that AND you are using the NC rule on him he is going to want you even more and that puts the ball in your court.
How To Handle The Actual NC Part Of Working With An Ex
The no contact rule strictly states that you can in no way have any contact with your ex boyfriend during the time period you have implemented the rule. Of course, this is kind of thrown out the window if you work with your ex since you will be forced to either see or interact with him on a daily basis.
In this case I would like you to follow these special no contact “amendments.”
Amendment 1 – In the case where you are forced to interact with your ex on work
Work is business, right?
I mean, you and your ex were employed to do a job and that job was to help your company make money.
Well, in the case where you are forced to interact with your ex for work I want you to keep things strictly business. In other words, the only type of interaction you should have with him should be about work. If he decides to deviate and talk about your relationship you should simply feed him the line I taught you in the section above,
“I am not comfortable talking about that right now.”
Amendment 2- If He Talks To You About General Topics
Lets say that you do an amazing job of keeping things strictly about your work but unfortunately your ex starts engaging you on more general topics.
Maybe he asks you something like,
“Did you see that episode of Game of Thrones last night?”
or
“What did you do last weekend?”
If he asks you general stuff like that I don’t want you to panic.
Here are your marching orders.
I want you to be super nice and bubbly but also a little short with him. Try not to engage him in a long conversation. Be nice with your answers to his questions but also don’t make your answers very long. There is brilliance in brevity.
What To Do During NC If You Have A Child With Your Ex
(Make sure you read my book, The No Contact Rule Book.)
This is another one of those topics that I really didn’t think much about when I wrote about the no contact rule initially.
Of course, the ladies visiting this site were quick to point out the issue with this and no contact. Before you read on I want to make you aware that I have written multiple guides specifically covering what you should be doing to get your ex boyfriend back if you do have a child with him here and here.
Ok, now that we have the pleasantries out of the way lets take a look at how you should approach the no contact rule if you have a child with your boyfriend.
The Rules Of NC Still Apply For The Most Part
Lets say that you have a child with your ex boyfriend and you have decided to use NC on him. You make it about 3 days in and then all of a sudden your ex calls you up. You stay strict on your no contact credo and don’t give in to his calls. Of course, he does leave a voicemail on your phone and curiosity gets to you so you decide to listen to it.
“Hey, I just wanted to know if I could see Chad (your child together) tomorrow?”
Now all of a sudden you are having this debate in your head on whether or not you should break no contact so you can tell your ex when he can see his son next. I mean, he still does have a right to see his son since he has been a very good father to him.
So, what do you do?
Is it ok to break no contact in this case?
The Child Factor
Listen up because this is important.
The only time you can break the no contact rule in the case where you have a child with your ex is if you have to communicate with your ex about that child.
Whether it’s who can pick him up at school…
When your ex can see that child…
Something going on in that child’s life that has to be talked about…
Much like how when you work with your ex you have to keep things strictly about work. Well, when you have a child with your ex you have to keep things strictly about that child. In other words, if your ex tries to talk to you about anything else other than that child your job is simple, DO NOT ENGAGE HIM.
The only thing I want you talking about with your ex during this no contact period is your child together because that child without a doubt is more important than you wanting your ex back (that’s my personal opinion.)
Of course, a lot of the couples with children end up living together. So, how do you approach the no contact rule then?
How To Approach NC If You Live With Your Ex Boyfriend?
Going through a break up when you live with your boyfriend has to be one of the most disheartening feelings ever.
I mean, one moment everything in your relationship is going great and the next you feel like an outsider in your own home.
So, the question on the table right now is how are you supposed to approach no contact if you find yourself in a position where you have to live with your boyfriend? Surely you and him are going to have to communicate at some point, right? I mean, is it even possible do implement the NC rule if you live with your boyfriend?
Technically…
Yes it is.
However, your circumstance prevents you from following the NC rules perfectly.
Lets take a moment and talk about some of the changes you are going to have to make if you live with your ex boyfriend.
Sleeping Arrangements
It is pretty normal for a couple that lives together to sleep together in the same bed.
Well, I don’t think this is going to come as a shock but if you break up with your ex or he breaks up with you then you can’t be sleeping in the same bed as him. That means that you or him are going to have to figure out a new sleeping arrangement.
Now, if he is a gentlemen he would probably opt to sleep on the couch without starting any type of fight over who is going to sleep where.
Of course, most men out there aren’t gentlemen and will opt to get into a massive argument on who will sleep where rather than just taking the hit and sleeping on the couch themselves. If you feel your ex boyfriend is like this don’t even engage in an argument with him.
YOU sleep on the couch yourself.
Is it uncomfortable?
It is…
However, it’ll help you avoid an argument and will make strides in showing him you are an independent woman and show him that you don’t need to sleep in the same bed with him.
Do Not Get Over Emotional
Going through a break up can cause you to experience some of the worst feelings ever.
Going through a break up where you live with the person brings a whole new level of pain.
You are going to be tempted to feel sorry for yourself, sulk throughout the house, sit in a corner and cry or even cry so hard that you can’t even function. In fact, a part of you may hope that your ex feels so sorry for yourself that he rushes over to your side and tries to make you feel better. Heck, maybe he will feel so sorry that he will ask to get back together with you.
Would you like me to explain why acting like this is so dumb?
Your ex boyfriend is probably expecting you to act like this. He is probably expecting you to sulk around the house, sit in a corner, cry and do everything in your power to try to get his attention.
That is his expectation.
If instead you walked around like the breakup wasn’t bothering you. If you acted bubbly and happy and in a good mood it is going to mess with him.
You see, he had an expectation that you would be devastated but when your behavior doesn’t match up as someone who is devastated he is going to all of a sudden think to himself,
“Wow, maybe I didn’t mean as much to her as I thought.”
Now, we all know that a mans mind is a little warped. So, somehow having a man think that he didn’t mean as much to you as he thought he did is going to make you more attractive in his eyes because deep down he wants to be the most important person in your life.
I know… we are messed up huh?
How To Handle Interactions
When you live with someone then that means that you are most likely going to have to talk to them at one point.
This causes a bit of a problem with the no contact rule which strictly forbids contact with your ex in anyway shape or form.
While you can still abide by the rules of not responding or sending texts, phone calls, facebooks or skypes to your ex the face to face contact bit may be a little hard to get around since you will probably see this person a lot until you get a new living situation figured out.
So, the question on the table is how do you approach a situation where you are forced to interact with your ex boyfriend face to face.
As a general rule I have always said that it is best to act like a respectful roommate would act.
In other words, don’t be rude or mean to your ex just give him very casual answers to the questions he asks.
For example, if your ex were to ask you if you took the trash out in person you would respond to him like this,
“I did yesterday.”
Here’s the thing though, you don’t want him to sense that you are angry or upset with him at all. You want to respond to all of his questions in a very upbeat manner without going into a lot of detail. Of course, you do live with this person so your relationship is bound to pop up at one point.
If he does bring up your relationship you simply feed him our favorite line,
“I am not ready to talk about that right now.”
If he throws a hissy fit because you won’t engage him on this topic you simply remove yourself from the situation.
To Recap
- Be very respectful
- Keep the interactions you are forced to break NC for very pleasant but also short.
- Do not talk about your relationship with him.
- You still can’t text or respond to texts, phone calls or any other social media.
Lets move on to another common question I get here on Ex Boyfriend Recovery.
What Are Your Chances of Getting Your Ex Boyfriend Back?
Take the quiz
Can You Wish Your Ex A Happy Birthday/Happy Holiday During NC?
(Need help getting your ex boyfriend back? Check out The No Contact Rule Book.)
EVERY DAY!
I literally get this question in comments and emails every single day.
“Chris, is it ok if I break NC to wish my ex a happy birthday?”
Oh, and I get this one every year,
“Chris, as you know tomorrow is Christmas. Is it ok if I text my ex that I hope he has a merry Christmas tomorrow? Even if it is during NC?”
So, I guess what most of you ladies are wondering is if it is ok for you to break a no contact rule (that you have already committed to completing) just to wish your ex a happy birthday.
Hmm… how can I get this through your head so that you understand once in for all if you can break NC just to wish your ex a happy birthday or whatever holiday is coming up.
NO…. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN YOU BREAK THE NO CONTACT RULE TO WISH YOUR EX A HAPPY BIRTHDAY OR A HAPPY HOLIDAY.
Got it?
Good!
Why You Can’t Break NC In This Case
There is one main reason why I think it’s dumb to wish your ex boyfriend a happy birthday or holiday during NC.
It’s actually pretty simple.
Do you realize how many people are probably wishing him a happy birthday on his birthday. I had like 100 people wish me a happy birthday on my Facebook last year. Half of these people I didn’t even know or have never even talked to before. To me, someone wishing me a happy isn’t that big of a deal.
Does it feel nice, sure.
Does someone wishing me a happy birthday dictate whether I am going to take an ex back?
No way.
So, why would your ex be any different?
In other words, wishing your ex boyfriend a happy birthday isn’t really going to help you in what you really want to have happen, him taking you back.
In fact, not wishing a happy birthday may actually make him sit there and go,
“Wait, why didn’t she wish me a happy birthday? Did she forget or something?”
When everyone zigs you had better zag.
Candy
August 16, 2024 at 8:08 pm
[During no contact for 2 weeks with someone I genuinely never want to see again]
Can I respond to 1 text just to say
“Leave me alone”?
Lat B
August 10, 2024 at 1:50 am
So my ex and I had decided to get married and build a home, we were able to mortgage a property prior to break up, and make a payments for the design of the house etc. He reached out to me to ask me what plans to I have for the property, and also gave options on how it could be resold and asked if his name could be removed from the title. I told him that at the moment I have no plans and didn’t feel comfortable talking about it. How should Inapproach this seeing he is my ERP?
Molly
November 29, 2023 at 7:56 am
what if you have to share space at a very small wedding? other than looking amazing?
Coach Shaunna
December 8, 2023 at 5:46 pm
Hi Molly, you would make sure that you are social, enjoying yourself and being a fun happy person to be around. Do not over spend time with your ex, continue to move around and allow them to do the work for your attention if they want to. If they choose to keep their space in the even that is fine too.
Kaylan
October 11, 2023 at 2:56 pm
What do I do if we broke up a week ago ( have been together almost 7 years) but I still haven’t moved out and we also share a dog. I want to do the NC method to see if it works. He says I can have the dog and he doesn’t care but I cannot take the dog to my parents house. So it would be stuck at his house until I figure something out if we are done for good.
Coach Shaunna
November 12, 2023 at 7:34 am
Hi Kaylan, I would suggest that you follow the limited no contact rule where you only communicate about your shared living space and the dog – limiting how often that interaction is going to be.
AR
February 8, 2023 at 6:08 pm
Question, does this work for guys? And what happens if she ask if I’m ok? Should I break the no contact rule?
Coach Shaunna Nicol
February 10, 2023 at 7:12 pm
Hi AR yes this works for guys too! No do not break your NC if your ex reaches out to ask if you are okay, you need to stick with it for a solid 30 days
Melanie
November 1, 2022 at 4:22 am
You never loved me an that’s what I hold onto my ex sent this me to me after their the 1 who broke up with me and I quit texting them after I told them when their ready for therapy and to work on us text me then, otherwise leave me alone. So I started the no contact, today 2nd day and they drunkly sent me that msg. I want to respond so bad but it won’t change anything and I would break the no contact. But I do love them and wanted to get back, they dont.
Melanie
November 1, 2022 at 4:19 am
My ex and I were together coming up on 7 years… a lot ups and downs past year. I just started no contact Sunday after I said if they wanna work on us and do therapy then text otherwise leave me alone… still they text I didn’t respond then drunkly text me tonight saying I never loved them and that’s what they holding on to.. that text is hard to ignore bc I do love them but also know for a fact there drunk and its just a excuse for them and they broke up with me btw.
Nancy
October 28, 2022 at 11:18 am
Hiya, my ex reached out to me 3 weeks into no contact saying he ended up in hospital and I responded to that. Does that mean I broke no contact? I kept it very neutral and polite. And that’s the only conversation we have had. It’s been 30 days of no contact now, and he still has not reached out to me
Shaun
October 7, 2022 at 1:34 pm
Thank you for the article!!! I would love to see how to ideas how communicate if you lived together and are arranging real transfer of belongings more than a sweater or yoga a couple pairs of yoga pants. Thanks again
Annonymous
June 5, 2022 at 8:53 am
My husband of nearly 2 decades who left me 2 months ago has cancer and going through Chemotherapy.
I’m worried about him and want to help, but don’t want to be too emotionally available either.
Will no contact work for me?
I don’t want to be cruel either.
He says he doesn’t know what he wants, & wants friendship. I want more. We have too much history.
He said I was suffocating him prior. It’s a very long time to just throw away.
We have children too
EBR Team Member: Shaunna
June 7, 2022 at 6:36 pm
Hey there, I think while you share children and a long history being there for him during this time is completely understandable. While going through treatment I would not put any pressure on him to get back together but would support him health wise the best you can. If he has moved out of your shared home, then I would suggest that you LNC where you only speak with him in regard to your children and his health.
Tess burnett
April 21, 2022 at 1:13 am
I accidentally sent my ex a thumbs up on Facebook messenger. It was completely an accident and didn’t even realize I did it until he sent me back “❓” yes he used to emoji question mark. I said that was an accident sorry and he responded “oopsies”. I didn’t respond after that. Today is day 20 of no contact, although we did run into each other on Saturday and had a positive interaction. He approached me in the bar as I was making my way to the actual bar to order a drink. I don’t know what to do. Do I need to restart no contact? Did this ruin all the work I’ve already done?
EBR Team Member: Shaunna
April 21, 2022 at 11:57 am
Hey Tess, based on what you told me here no you do not have to start again, but I would make sure that you stay in a strict NC now until day 30. It is also great that your interaction was positive when you bumped into him. Be sure that you are not focusing back on yourself and that you are prepping your first reach out text based on what information Chris has provided in the articles and videos.
Cheche
April 19, 2022 at 10:13 am
Hey , my boyfriend broke up with me for his ex 3weeks ago we had dated for 2 months , i have struggled to start and maintain no contact, he texted on the third day of no contact asking how i was and i replied i was fine, i had to restart the NC . He texted on the same day i was to restart no contact , he send me pictures of some drugs and wanted me to help him know their use since i am a student nurse and i texted back briefly.
Please help wat if he texts again should i respond or just leave him hanging regardless.
EBR Team Member: Shaunna
April 21, 2022 at 12:09 pm
Hey Cheche, no you do not respond you need to go into a 45 day No contact when he reaches out to you, you ignore him.
Amber
December 18, 2021 at 10:50 pm
My ex and I had a messy break up two months ago. We have since kept in contact and slept together once about a month ago, I did at a no sex boundary after. I started NC 5 days ago after I did the crazy clingy I want you back thing. His response was that he doesn’t know if the is or isn’t a chance in the future, but right now with the way things have been there can’t be. We did a lot of back and forth and I know we have both been seeing other people but I want him back…. How long should I do the NC before I reach out seeing as it has been a couple of months since the split.
(I broke up with him. It was long distance but I did move to town right before the break up. We both still love each other but there was some turmoil towards the end that left a bad taste in our mouths)
harriet
November 28, 2021 at 9:52 am
I just started NC, in less than 24 hours he is calling me. I did not pick up the call but now I am so worried about how I’m gonna react when we meet anytime soon, like what excuse I will give if he says ‘I called you’, this is because we live in the same building. we bump into each other every now and then.
Robin
October 2, 2021 at 4:23 pm
Hi,
please some advice, I had been in a serious relationship with my guy for 8months n he broke up with me in April 2019, n had done no contact periods several different times n got back in talking times, n then he told me that he needed space, I gave him space n got back n talking terms, he told me that he misses me n wants to see me, my worry is he doesn’t text me first but constantly replies to my messages nicely, I still love him n want him back, wat should I do, he replies to me
Monica
August 30, 2021 at 10:08 am
Ok, so I have been doing NC for 5 days..but I wasn’t sure if he had me blocked. I don’t have social media, so I have no other way of communicating with him when NC is over. Our breakup didn’t end very well, so I was pretty sure he blocked me…but I had no way of knowing unless I called.
I called him last night, but only let it ring twice, before I hung up. My intentions were never to reach out to him, but now he knows that I called.
Do I need to start over? Or do I just keep going?
EBR Team Member: Shaunna
September 23, 2021 at 5:45 pm
Hi Monica, yes you need to start again from day 1 as you should not call him – or even attempt to.
Isabelle
June 22, 2021 at 4:39 am
Hello, it’s been almost two weeks and its the 3rd time my ex has texted me. I decided to start no contact because I accepted to stay friends with my ex. I wanted to be back as his gf but he said he rather not put labels on it anymore. The last time I saw him I emotionally broke down after giving it my all for him to take me back but after he repeated to me he just saw me as a friend I told him I needed to take a break. His first message was a week after, he asked me when I will end the break. Two days after he texted a question mark. Then two days after that he sends me a whole paragraph saying how what I’m doing is disrespectful and why did I think it was a good idea to do this and that life is too short to ignore him like this. He said it is like I’m getting satisfaction from not blocking him and that he hasn’t done anything to prove to me that he’s a bad person and has only shown that he cares for me and that he never has done me like this. He also said that it is for real the last time he is doing this but whatever I wanna do thats best for me I guess”
My question is…should I break no contact to respond to this?
EBR Team Member: Shaunna
June 28, 2021 at 8:20 pm
Isabelle, do not break your NC. He is missing you and feeling the loss. IF you reply he knows he can make you reply when he guilts you into it. Let him be angry. Right now you want him as a boyfriend, so you cannot be his friend for now.
Lisa
June 18, 2021 at 9:12 pm
Hi, after considering how best to give my partner and I much needed space, I suggested to him how he felt about staying at his mums for a little while. Well that went down bad and he thinks I kicked him out! I had the best intentions for our relationship but as usual he took it as the worst possible scenario.
He then said it’s over he’s not coming back to our house. I was devastated!
But before I knew about NC I was sending him a text daily reassuring him I love him.
Then I got a long email from him that was just so negative and really not true about our relationship at all. It was really obvious he’s trying to convince himself he’s made the right decision. But as usual he can see things as very bleak and no hope when he goes into these moods. They can last for weeks and weeks.
I did reply to the email but only to address his feelings. That was 2 weeks ago. I have since learnt about NC and so far sticking with it.
He has been back into our house when he knows I’m not at home, every couple of days to pick up his things or his kids things bit by bit. I don’t like him coming in like this whenever he likes while still avoiding me. I know he’s still angry.
Once last year after an argument he packed up absolutely everything he owned in one swoop and took off for several weeks to his mums.
It’s been suggested I change the locks but I feel that’s a bit drastic and I don’t want to make him angrier. Do you think I’m doing the right thing with sticking with the NC? Thank you! X
EBR Team Member: Shaunna
June 18, 2021 at 9:35 pm
Hi Lisa yes you are doing the right thing by sticking with the NC. He is entitled to collect his things while you are out of the house as he is not ready to see you yet to is trying to avoid an emotional reaction / situation with you.
Slaw1213
June 1, 2021 at 5:31 am
What do you do if you lived with them and have moved to your parents since the break up but all your appliances are still there?
Do I just leave them there and continue NC? He is aware I will collect them, I just never gave him a date. I’m hoping I won’t have to, obviously.
What’s the go for this situation?
EBR Team Member: Shaunna
June 1, 2021 at 6:27 pm
Hi Slaw, you can reply if he reaches out about when you are collecting, but if it can wait then you just do not reach out to ask for those things.
Grace
May 31, 2021 at 11:47 pm
So I’ve been reading a lot of EBR posts since my bf broke up with me a month ago (without a real reason). I’ve been doing a NC rule which ends next week, and he seems to be in the third phase of emotions – the anger/frustration at being ignored phase, the next phase being that calmer, less overt desperation for contact (as detailed in one of the EBR posts on here). Maybe I’m just short-sighted, but it doesn’t feel like we’re going to get to that phase, because he’s been constantly trying to contact me (calling me 14 times in one night when I didn’t reply, getting angry at my lack of replies, messaging my friends whilst I’m out with them, trying to find out anything he possibly can from anyone he can about my UG life). Does this mean the NC rule is working? I just don’t understand how this frustration will calm down to a more rational outreach approach, but if it sounds like it’s on the right track then I’ll trust the process? Also, he said in one of the many messages I’ve ignored, that he isn’t reaching out to get back with me, just to check how I am because he ‘misses me as a friend’. Does this signal anything? It sounds like he wants me back in his life, but only as a friend – like he doesn’t want to lose me, but doesn’t want the commitment – and I’m scared when I come out of NC, my contact attempts will just be received platonically because of this. Unless this last week of NC will change his mind? Is there anything I should do in the next week or any advice you could give on this? Thanks 🙂
EBR Team Member: Shaunna
June 1, 2021 at 8:19 pm
Hi Grace, so try not to think of this as an order, they can go backwards forwards and sometimes skip phases. Its just the different person goes through this in different order. So even though you may feel stuck, he could be going back and forth for a little while but suddenly you find he’s better and had the anger out of his system.