Want Your Ex Back? Follow These Tips

Don't be needy; focus on happiness and fun. "Instead of focusing on your ex, focus on yourself. Instead of chasing your ex and possibly appearing clingy or even desperate, work on yourself," says Carolyn Cole, LCPC, LMFT, NCC to POPSUGAR. Your ex may then wonder what you are up to, especially if you are still connected on social media, and he or she sees the amazing things you are doing, she says.

Don't bother dreaming that they may come back. Just wait and see. "If you hear from your ex, be grateful for the interaction," she says. Be casual in your response and keep expectations low. "If you reach out to your ex, and they don't respond in the way that you would like, do not express frustrations or anxieties or need for reassurance to them, as this will push them away again," she adds.

Give it some time. "As you are working on the [aforementioned] things, you are also showing them that you are OK without them. You are not desperate or needy," she says. Give your ex the space to miss you and reach out to you, instead. "They can't miss you if you are always texting/calling/messaging, etc.," she says.

Focus on inner healing but also think about why you broke up and in what ways you can improve yourself if you're hoping to "change" and get back together. "Work on your own inner healing. What do you need to heal from the breakup, and what lesson did you learn as a result of the breakup? Once you start communicating with your ex, they will be able to sense the difference in you," she says.