In 2006, Valderrama called Mandy “the first love of my life” in a New York Times profile, stating that he was madly in love with her. Demi Lovato also keeps in touch with her ex Nick Jonas and in fact is good friends with Valderrama. “It’s weird. In the beginning, I was like, ‘Why the f— are you friends with Joe?’ He was like, ‘He’s a cool guy.’ Yeah, I know. I dated him,” she said in an interview with Cosmo.
It’s definitely weird and breakups are very difficult. Yet, more and more people find that after time, you can definitely be friends with an ex, especially if you run around the same crowds, share common interests and share mutual friends. Here are some added benefits to staying friends with your ex:
- You don’t have to choose sides and get to stay in contact with mutual friends
- Your ex might be the friend that knows you the best
- Once you’ve made your peace, there’s nothing to fight about
- Less baggage to bring to your next relationship
- It is possible to be happy for each other (after some time of course)
It all depends on how long you dated your ex, but many people are completely against it because:
- It’s awkward for your mutual friends
- You might still have feelings and might send mixed signals
- Jealousy comes to play
- You can’t undo the past
- It’s torture and you give yourself false hope
What do you think? Have you stayed friends with an ex? Every relationship is different, so what works for some might not work for others.
NEXT: Relationships Are Suffering: Is It Time for America to Change Its Views of Adultery and Marriage?