Bumping into your ex can be awkward, especially if you had an intense relationship with him or her which may have had a rocky ending. The feeling of suddenly spotting your ex may vary – a mix of happiness, a bit of disappointment and sometimes even anger. Whatever the case, if you are face to face with your ex, you have to decide how best you can handle the situation without digging up old wounds or humiliating yourself.

Say Nothing, Do Nothing

If you spot your ex from across the room, you may have a better chance of beating a hasty retreat. It is sometimes wiser to avoid or ignore rather than confronting the person if you are unsure how you are going to react. Old feelings may creep in and some may not be very positive.  It may be better to let bygones be bygones as both of you are in different places in life.

If your ex chooses to come up and speak to you, then it’s a different case. Don’t be rude. Don’t bring up past issues. And don’t pry into their life and current situation. It’s better not to know and depending on how bitter your ex may be, he or she may spin a web of lies just to make you feel like they are better off without you. This never makes any person feel good about themselves and it’s not worth putting yourself through the hassle.

Sometimes you may come face to face with your ex without you or him/her choosing to do so. It may be awkward for both of you, so don’t make it any worse by saying something inappropriate. Greet the other person, ask them how they are keeping and if you are forced to still be in the person’s presence, then direct the conversation to the current social setting or something relevant. An air of awkward silence may just lead you or the other person to dig up something about the past which can start with an innocent question about a mutual friend or your career.

Life After Seeing the Ex

An experience with your ex after months or years of not having seen each other can have an effect on any person. You may think about them more often for the next few days or weeks. You may wonder “what if”. You may even be tempted to give them a call. But don’t get carried away with a little nostalgia. These feelings will pass with time and if things couldn’t work in the past, there is no reason to assume that it can be different now. More than anything you may be setting yourself up for an emotional rollercoaster once again.

It’s not abnormal to feel a little down after seeing an ex. This is especially true if you both had strong feelings for each other but things had to end for whatever reason. It’s also not uncommon to feel a little bad if you see your ex with a new partner. You may feel worse if you are still single while the other person has moved on in life. But don’t let it get to you – it’s only human to go through a range of emotions after bumping into the other person. Just don’t get carried away with your feelings and react on it.