Unless you’re convinced you finally found your soulmate, there will come a point in your relationship where you will just have to finish it off. Breaking up is almost inevitable for many couples. Even though you can finish each other’s sentences, that doesn’t mean you’re going to last. Wearing matching shirts doesn’t amount to anything, either. Oh well, when the end is near, here’s how you should go about it.

Don’t break-up for petty reasons. A lot of couples do this because they think this is cute. After all, there’s nothing better than make-up sex. But then if you make a habit of petty break-ups, one of you is bound to get tired of it and actually take the split seriously. Before calling it quits, make sure that your reason is sensible. Do you really want a way out or is this just another tantrum?

Will you be happier without him/her? Sometimes you stay in a relationship because you want to prove that you can last. But can you be happy in a stable relationship if you’re with the wrong person? Are you better off with a different person? Or maybe you’re better off going solo. Sometimes, being single is a choice.

Prepare for the tempest. Since you’re the one who’s giving up, prepare to be bombarded by questions of why. Your partner will be asking you tons of questions why you want a break-up, what’s wrong with him/her, and what’s wrong with you. You have to know your answers to these questions because that’s how you know that you have indeed made up your mind about the end of your affair. Besides, the least you can do is to be fair. Do this by explaining why you are giving up. Don’t even think of breaking up through these means: email, phone, text message, instant messenger, post-its.

Don’t date immediately after the break-up. Give it a few weeks before you get back into the dating game. This is to show sensitivity to the person you broke up with, and also to give time to yourself to plan your new life.