5 Signs That You Need To Break Up

If you’ve been trying to build some real connections romantic or otherwise and feel isolated despite your best efforts, it might be time for a change of scenery. Here are five reasons to break up that are signs you might be ready to move on for the sake of developing new relationships.

# Fair-Weather Friends

You’ve got a group of friends who are fun to be around and happy to join you for a good time, but is there someone you can call when things fall apart? Evaluate your friendships and think about who you’d rely on if you were in a difficult situation. If the list is too short, perhaps it’s time to branch out.

# Consistent Loneliness

There’s a difference between being alone and being lonely. If you’re enduring painful stretches of loneliness, it’s probably time for some new scenery. Moving to a new town might be lonely at first, too. But in discovering new places, you can also make new connections with people who are looking for the same things.

# Limited Resources

If you come from a smaller town or city, you know what it’s like for everyone to know your name—and that might not always be a good thing. Sometimes seeing all the same faces in all the same places gets stale, especially if you’re looking for romance. Agreeing to go on a blind date with someone only to discover you’ve been out with him before (and it didn’t work out) might be a sign that you’re in need of a fresh dating pool.

# Serious Heartache

Sometimes a failed relationship can leave marks not only on your heart, but everywhere around you. That coffee shop reminds you of him. That restaurant will always been the restaurant where she told you she loved you. That park is the park where you shared your first kiss. If you can’t seem to escape the pain of the breakup after a long period of time, start packing. There’s nothing like a new place, a new city, and a whole new life to help you get over the hurdle.

# A Gamble on Love

Maybe you met someone who’s from another town—be it 45 minutes away or across the country and there’s something about this person you just can’t resist. Maybe any one of the previous four signs applies to you and you don’t have a lot to lose by leaving it all behind. Or, maybe you have everything to lose, but this person is just that special. If the feelings are mutual, it might be time to take a leap. Sometimes following your heart to a new city is a gamble that truly pays off in the end.