How long should I wait to date somebody else?

Waiting to start dating is completely up to you. Give yourself enough time to move on and a little bit of time to focus on you, then date when you feel you are ready again!

You should wait until you feel like you’re ready. It doesn’t matter what other people suggest. If you feel like you’re ready to move on and you’re in a healthy place then date someone else. But if you’re not stable, don’t. Take time for yourself. Give yourself time to heal and relax. You don’t want to rush into something either. If you rush into something you may end up hurting yourself more and the other person. I know that sounds contradictory but you should give yourself time to heal and then when you’re ready, you should look for another relationship.

There is no set length of time that will guarantee you are ready to move on. Some say that you should stay single for at least half the length of the relationship. Others say it takes twice as long as the length of the relationship to fully move on. It will depend on how long you were together, how deeply invested you were in the relationship, and the circumstances of your breakup. I personally like to use something I call the grocery store scenario. Imagine you are at the grocery store and you run into your ex with their new partner. How would you react? Being sad isn't necessarily a bad reaction, a little sadness is common for some time after a breakup. Anger might indicate that there are still things about the breakup you need to work through. Nostalgia for old times is very common and often a promising sign. When you can look back on your relationship and focus on the good times and the lessons learned, you're moving to a good place and may be ready to try again with someone new.

There is no predetermined amount of time to wait before dating someone else. Each and every one of us is different and we all handle things differently and in our own time. It is all about you and knowing yourself and knowing when you are ready to move on! For some people this can be a matter of days or weeks. For others it can take a few months or even years. Only you can truly know when you are ready to date again. Listen to your heart. It knows the way! I wish you the best of luck!