Yeah, you read it correctly...you can get your ex back and go on with life stronger than ever before! What's even better, I'm going to tell you 4 solid, real-life things that you can do to get started right now!

1) Don't let life pass you by, get up and enjoy yourself a bit! Going out with friends is a great way to bypass a lot of the hurt you're feeling and start on a healthy road to getting your life back on track. Even if you don't feel like it, stay socially active and surround yourself with people who care about you!

What does this have to do with getting your ex back? Fair question, but it's relatively simple. Staying out there and keeping on the scene and in good form is a great way to show just how strong you are...it builds a sense of admiration for you to be able to keep on living when so many let breakups cripple them. It'll get you attention, either from your ex or from other members of the opposite sex...which will get your ex's attention for sure.

2) Look back over your past relationships, focusing on the most recent. It may be painful or seem like it's no use, but you have to do this if you plan on actually getting back your ex effectively. You have to come up with a clear understanding of the things you did in your past relationships that helped cause them to fail. You can't get past your mistakes if you keep making them.

And playing the blame game isn't going to help you any. Forget about anything your partners may have done to make everything fall apart. The only person you can change is yourself, and so you need to make those changes if you want to have a hope of working out this relationship or really any future ones as well. Focus on your own issues, and make sure that you're giving 100% to whatever relationship you may be in.

3) Don't let your physical appearance and hygiene slip. It's easy to stop caring much about how you look when you're heavily depressed due to a breakup, but it's not healthy in many ways to just let yourself go. If you work on staying in shape, however, it can help you a lot in getting a date...even a date with your ex.

4) Perhaps the biggest and most important thing I can tell you about getting your ex back is listed at number four so that I can be sure you're paying attention by this point. You ready? Here it is: DON'T RUSH THINGS! Your ex is hurting like you are, possibly worse! Bombarding him or her with more and more of YOU is only going to work against you! Back off, give your ex some space, and work on the things you need to do before you ever make contact again.

Initiating contact once more should be a delicate process as well. Keep it as light and nonthreatening as possible, usually no more than a simple phone call or email. No relationship talk, just a friendly "how have you been?" is appropriate. It's not likely to cause a lot of suspicion or stress just to see how your ex is doing, and it's a point from which you can work up until you two are spending time with each other again.

At this point, it's win-it-or-lose-it time. Again, hitting the gas too fast will just destroy your chances, so keep it simple and fun. Do things together that you both enjoy, and enjoyed doing as a couple. Be the best person you can, and show how hard you've worked to stay your best and even become better than ever before. Make your ex feel as happy as your best times as a couple, and it should slowly start to dawn on your ex that perhaps quitting wasn't the best idea...

I can't guarantee your specific situation will fit easily into the space I've mapped out for it, but that's going to happen when every relationship is made up of two completely unique people...but I can tell you that these guidelines I've given you will help you in any situation. At least keep them in mind as a way of thinking, and you'll have a much better chance of getting your ex back.