Depending on your situation, your partner may or may not see the breakup coming. If the signs have been there for a long time it probably won’t come as such as shock to them, but if you’ve been keeping your displeasure and unhappiness to yourself your partner may be blindsided so you need to be particularly careful about the way you handle the situation.

Use these tips to make things as easy as possible:

1. Be honest. It’s important that you let the other person know why you are ending the relationship.  Don’t lie, in the long run it will just do more harm.  If you’re not in love with them anymore, let them know…gently.  If you are already seeing someone else this is something that you can keep to yourself.

2. Meet your partner face to face. Don’t be a coward and send a text.  Tacky! The only exception to this rule is if your partner is abusive and potentially dangerous.  If that’s the case than by all means send a text.

3. Don’t make it about blame.  If you think the relationship has run it’s course, that’s enough. You don’t need to parade out a long list of grievances that have accumulated over time.  It will likely only end up in a fight and it will just be a repeat of many arguments that have come before.

4. Stick to your guns.  Hopefully before you even broach the subject of breaking up you will have given it a lot of thought and have come to the conclusion that it is the best course of action.  If that’s the case, don’t let your partner guilt you into staying together.  If you’re done emotionally, you won’t be able to make it work anyway so it’s best to make a clean break.

Use these breakup tips so both of you can leave the relationship with your head held high.