Your ex dumped you. If you saw it coming, it may have not come as a huge shock to your system. If you were caught completely off-guard, however, it's often a different story. How could they do this to you? Don't they understand how much you love them? What were they thinking, and what can you do to make them change their minds? It's time to face the facts. You have to come to grips with the idea that you cannot force things to change by a sheer act of will. You can't jump up and down and have a fit and expect them to see things differently. You can't stalk them into submission. You have to act cautiously right now, or you're never going to get your relationship back - and you cannot afford an over-abundance of mistakes.

The fact of the matter is you have to take some very important factors into account right now. If you're simply going to for the "quick fix" you're more than likely going to be repeatedly disappointed. There are no easy answers right now, but that doesn't mean that a lot of people in your position don't try. They try to manipulate their ex's emotions by forcing jealousy - and they usually have to deal with a significant amount of backlash because of it.

Jealousy can be a powerful ally, but it's also one that you need to keep your eye on if you want to add it to your arsenal. It has a tendency to turn on people at a moment's notice, and can easily spiral out of control. If you want to use it in your battle to win back your ex, do it with caution and from a safe distance. If you want to date again, make sure that you're doing it for a real, genuine reason - not simply trying to get back at your ex by intentionally making them jealous.

No matter how slick you think you are, the fact of the matter is that if you act impulsively to try and make your ex jealous on purpose, it's going to backfire in a big way. Not only are your attempts going to be obvious to everyone except for you, they're going to lead to a lot of negativity that isn't a part of your game plan. You're only making yourself look bad in the long run - and nothing can chase away the potential of a renewed relationship like impulsivity and desperation.

If you feel like you're ready to move on and explore your options as far as dating other people, go for it. Don't do it just to create intentional jealousy, though. Do it because it's what's right for you. If your ex does, in fact, get jealous because of it, think of it as a benefit - and not the ultimate goal.

Putting yourself out there socially is an integral part of the overall process after a breakup, even if you're not completely willing to let go of your ex entirely. Socially speaking moving on can be nothing more than agreeing to go out with friends, or diving headlong into a new hobby - not necessarily a new relationship.

If you do find yourself in a dating scenario, you want to go into it fully aware of your expectations and your limitations. You don't want to end up in a rebound romance, which could lead to even worse pain down the road. Additionally, you also don't want to string this new person along if you ultimately want to renew your relationship with your ex. If you're only casually dating, this shouldn't matter - but you do want to remain open as well as aware of why you're doing what you're doing.

If you've made several attempts to win your ex back and have gotten little no result so far, jealousy can be a highly valuable asset in your overall war. It isn't a weapon, however, and should not be wielded at will simply to encourage a response. It doesn't matter when your breakup occurred - or even who was behind it. No one enjoys seeing their ex with someone else - even if they were the ones who ultimately called things off to begin with. It serves as a tool to reawaken old emotions and remind your ex of the connection you used to share and that can work positively in your favor.

Don't hang all your hopes on jealousy and limit your other viable options. It's simply one facet of a long, often complicated process, and it should only be called upon as a last resort. There are plenty of other useful techniques that can get you back in your ex's good graces without resorting to manipulating their emotions intentionally. By becoming aware of all your options, you can choose the one that best fits your particular situation and put it into practice without having to resort to intentional negativity to achieve your goals.

What To Do Next

It is not a good idea to use jealousy to win back your ex, it rarely works in your favour and can leave you looking foolish and vindictive. It is better to use tried and tested techniques that have a much better success rate. First thing is first, understand why you were dumped to see where your ex is coming from. You can only make things better if you knew what went wrong in the first place.

After that you should be looking for signs ex still loves you. Only then can you know if you are on the right path and avoid making a fool of yourself if your ex is just not interested in you anymore.