your girlfriend says "Let’s be friends" – What does that mean?

You’re dating someone, things are going well, and all of a sudden your girlfriend stops you in your tracks with those sweet little words:

“I think we should just be friends”

As your stomach lurches, your mind begins to race with a thousand thoughts per second. What happened? Did I do something wrong? She doesn’t like me? She like someone else?

Anytime a girl tries to transition her relationship from romance to friendship, it’s a really bad scenario. There is something going on that needs to be addressed quickly or you will lose her pretty quickly. While some guys may give up at this point and think they’ve already lost here, there are still a few things you can do to prevent your girlfriend from breaking up with you. The right moves, made right away, can help stop the breakout process and actually reverse your mindset.

Establishing a friendship with your ex is never a good solution, even when she claims it’s temporary. “Let’s be friends” is his way of letting you down easily. Sorry to be brutally honest here, but in truth, she wants to do something else (or someone else) right now. When she adds “for a while” or “let’s take a break for now” to the end of that sentence, she’s trying to disappoint you even more easily. She’s a coward in a way, because she’s not being honest with you…or with herself.

It’s too hard for your ex to say “Hey, I want to do other things, date other people. We’re going our separate ways.” That’s something that would hurt you for sure, but at least you’d know where you stand. Instead, he’s taken the “friends” route because it’s easier for you… but that’s not the half of it. It is also easier for her. And do you know why? Because being your friend gives her the always comfortable option of getting back together, in case her new perspective doesn’t turn out the way she thought.

You can’t accept friendship with your ex.

Ever.

It’s a dumb move and it will put you in a situation you can never get out of. She’ll see you in a platonic role, more and more each day, and there’s virtually no way to go back to being in a romantic light. When your ex asks you to be friends, it’s always best to decline that offer. Say no, firmly but gently. Then tell her why you can’t be friends with your ex: because you love her too much. Let her know that you think of her on levels that have nothing to do with friendship and everything to do with a relationship. Tell her that you are not going to hide your feelings and put a smile on your face every day, pretending not to love her when you really do. Then tell her that she can’t have something from you…it’s all or nothing. It’s a relationship or it’s nothing, and that’s the way it has to be.

Your girlfriend doesn’t expect you to react like this. She wants to stay friends with you to keep her options open. Losing you so completely, and so immediately, was not something she wanted. Going away and leaving her alone, with her own thoughts, will always produce the same reaction: she will think of you, miss you, and question her decision to end the relationship. Do this and your ex will have to decide between having you in her life as a boyfriend or losing you completely forever.

When your girlfriend says let’s be friends, you have to take action immediately. Being proactive is the only way to prevent the breakup from happening, and you have to make all the right moves. Making the wrong ones during this critical time can mean the difference between keeping her in your life or losing her to someone else.