1. Truly think about your relationship

How do you feel about the relationship? Are there times when you feel like they are your best friend and you couldn't live without them? Then I would say you've got a good thing going for now. However, if you're feeling slightly stuck and disappointed every time you see your significant other, it might be time to call it quits. Think about everything you guys have been through, and try not to use them as excuses not to break-up. Just because you guys were there for each other during the hard times, start to think about whether or not that was out of love and support or out of obligation.

Also think about the important things like how your family thinks about them, and whether or not they treat your friends with the same respect as your significant other treats you. Sometimes you think you have a great relationship until you realize that your boyfriend or girlfriend isn't as nice to others as they are to you. You want a good person in your life, not a bad one. Just because they treat you well and others rudely, does not mean that one day they may not switch to the other way around.

2. Write a pros and cons list

I know a few people who made a pros and cons list before their breakup, and it actually helped them cope with their breakup. Some people may feel questionable about their relationship and may feel scared to lose someone who is actually pretty awesome. Write out a t-chart and write down all of your pros and cons no matter how small or stupid they sound. Afterwards, star the most important ones and count them as points. The more stars, the more important, the more points. Tally up your numbers for both sides and truly discover how well your significant other is meeting your needs. You may be surprised, or happy about the outcome.

3. Buy food

If you know you will be doing the breaking up, or you have a strong suspicion it will happen to you, have your food on stand by. It's perfectly normal to be upset if you are the person doing the dumping. It is valid to cry afterward, because you may be feeling a lot of emotions at once. You may be feeling relief, or maybe even sadness over dropping someone who was a great person to you but just wasn't what you wanted. Whatever it may be, you will want some food on standby. Tell your friends what may be going down that day, and ask them to order you a pizza so by the time you get back home it will be waiting for you. Tell your family the same thing, and they will be completely understanding of the situation. Being the heartbreak and the heartbroken are extremely similar, and having an opportunity to eat and cry about it will help you through the process.

4. Prepare to treat yourself. 

Take on a few extra shifts before your day of heartbreaking so you know you can celebrate your first day of single-ness with enough money. Buy some bath products or a new video game so you can come home after that stressful day and relax. It takes a lot of thinking and courage to truly tell a person how you feel, and if you're dumping a crier or an emotional person, you'll need to relax your brain for a bit. Make sure your dog is home when you arrive so you can hug your best friend and cry about it. Ask a friend to be at your house so you can talk to them about it afterward. Talking it through will really help you get through it, and feel better about it.

5. You're an independent person

Whether or not you are the dumped or the person doing the dumping, keep in mind that you are your own independent person. Yes, being single can be tough, but sometimes it builds a better you. Keeping in mind that you are an independent person really makes it so that you can move on and just be yourself. There are no more expectations you have to meet because you can set those for yourself. If this is the first time being single for a while, you get to know more about yourself better. This is an experience that can help you realize who you are as a person, and maybe even find someone who you are truly meant to be with.