Why do you keep those pictures up on Instagram and Facebook? Why do you keep those charms on your bracelet? Why do you keep those old Snapchat messages and texts?

Because getting over someone isn't that easy.

You don't want to just give up on someone that used to make you so happy. You think there's still a little glimmer of hope that you could get back together, right?

Wrong.

Because you like imagining what could have been. You think that you're over it, but how can you get over it when every time you look down at your wrist you see the charms that he gave you?

Every time you go just to look back on some old pictures on Instagram and Facebook you look at those old albums from years ago. You see the pictures of the whole summer you spent together, and how happy you were going to the aquarium and Olive Garden.

You think that you've moved on, but how can you move on when all you're reminded of is the past? Every time you hear that James Avery bracelet jingling you know the charms that are hitting each other. You think that by keeping his old Snapchat messages and his text messages that you're accepting what happened. That it is in the past because every time you scroll down past the people that you talk daily you see his name pop up with the pink and the blue and the gray emojis.

You think of him and you click on those messages where he called you "babe" in every sentence. You see how he sent you a picture of the house he wants to live in. And now you're looking back at those pictures and messages and realizing that every single thing he said to you was a lie.

So why are you still holding onto those messages?

Why are you still looking at those pictures of what could have been your future, but it's not anymore?

This isn't your way of accepting what's in the past is just in the past. If you needed a reason to move on from a dead relationship, this is your sign. The first step is to go on Instagram and completely clear out all of the pictures that you don't like. Delete any picture that if you don't like the way your hair looks. Delete it if you think that you look too fat even if you don't. Delete the pictures that you're wearing the necklace that he gave you in. Delete all of the pictures with him in them. Completely start new because once you do you'll feel better.

Go to James Avery ask them to take off the charms that he got you. Take off all the charms that you play with constantly just while you're driving or in class. Get rid of them, and even sell them if you want! And yes, the people working there taking off your charms will ask you why you're taking them off.

They'll also ask if you're going to replace them, and put them somewhere else on the bracelet. You have to look them dead in the eyes, and say these are from your ex and that you are not putting them on your bracelet again. They'll tell you how brave you are, and how much guts it takes to be able to go in there and take them off. Most people can't do it.

You don't want every single guy that you'll ever be with in the future, or even if it's just one guy, to look down at your bracelet and be reminded of your past before him. He shouldn't have to think of him when he sees the palm tree. He shouldn't have to think of the trips that you planned with your ex. He shouldn't have to be reminded daily of all those things.

The next step is to go on Snapchat and delete every message that he sent. I know it's going to be hard, I know it is, but you have to get the courage up to do it.

And the last step, the final step: stop remembering the little things about him. Go to your texts, and don't stop and look through them because you'll the lies that he told you. You'll keep thinking "What did I do wrong?" but it was nothing you could've done. You look at those messages, and you see how happy you were. You think about the future y'all planned together, and you put yourself in that position you were months ago when you were with him.

You couldn't have done anything more. You gave him everything. You loved him with all your heart, and it hurts that he didn't reciprocate those feelings even if he said he did. Because how could somebody love you, but just drop you like you meant nothing?

You have to love yourself enough to stop remembering everything about him. He doesn't try to talk to you, and every time you've tried to talk to him, every single time you messaged him saying "Hey" or "I miss you," he opened it immediately, and didn't respond. It's not because of the time difference, it's not because he's hours ahead of you, it's because he doesn't want to talk to you. He found somebody else and that's okay.

You're learning from this. You're learning to love yourself, and that's the most important thing in your life. That's more important than any relationship you've ever been in, or will ever be in. Once you do all of these steps you will feel better (maybe not all the way, but it is definitely a start).

Relationships know no distance, but he does. He couldn't handle it, and that's not your fault. You're going to find an amazing person that will make you completely forget about him and all of your other relationships. He will make you see why it never worked out with anyone else. The past is in the past, and that's how you have to leave it.