How to forget an ex

I you are - like so many others - trying to forget your ex, then I have news for you: you're wasting your time. Think of an orange. Now think of a teacher you once had; hear their voice in your head; see the clothes they wore. Now think of a childhood friend; see and hear them laughing in your mind... Do you get it? You have an amazing brain inside your head and one of its many functions is to store experiences, both imagined and 'real' (as perceived by you). So, forgetting your ex is out of the question. Instead, use your time more effectively. Read on and find out how...

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Time
• A brain

1. Realize that forgetting your ex - or anybody else for that matter - is out of the question. Don't be disappointed at this. On the contrary, you should feel ecstatic! This means you won't waste months trying to achieve something that is simply impossible, unless you have brain damage.
2. Reframe your goal. What would forgetting about your ex mean to you? What would it achieve for you? I'm going to generalize and assume that most people try to forget their ex to get 'clear', peace of mind, release, closure - and generally rid themselves of feelings they don't want.
   Well, since we now know forgetting your ex is not an option, we can stop wasting our time and invest it wisely by changing the plan. Let instead get over an ex. Accept that memories are stored within you for a reason, and that's the way it is. You will be reminded of your ex from time to time, but once you achieve your objective, the feelings that accompany those images will be different - and THAT was always the goal!
3. Change the way you look at the past, and the feelings will change. This is the magic bean - it's how we work. Our thoughts affect our feelings. Close your eyes and think of a clear blue sky; see the sun shining brightly; feel its warmth on your face. Hear the birds singing around you. Mouth the words 'life is good', and smile.
   Now think of a bleak, rainy day. Feel the cold rain slipping inside your collar, cold on your neck. Feel your face and hands, freezing, pounded by rain...
   Each time you play with images in your mind, your brain releases chemicals in response, and these chemicals create that way you FEEL. Isn't that neat? Is it any wonder that you feel so depressed when you play scenes from your past (the ones you want to get rid of!) over and over again in your mind? No, of course it isn't. So stop. Realize that the past - and anything that happened in it - is over. It's gone. There's no need to bring it back. The past after all, was neither good nor bad - it was just a bunch of experiences.
4. Understand that all thoughts of your ex belong in the past, not the now, and remember to smile.