National Text Your Ex Day

Whether a person is the breaker or the breakee, getting over a breakup can be a very difficult journey. A person with whom there was a meaningful bond and, hopefully, a deep friendship, is suddenly no longer part of your everyday life. And usually, after some time passes, the sting wears off and it can be easy to see why life is better on the other side of that relationship. 

But sometimes, loose ends have been left, things were a bit messy or regrets remain and, in this case, it might be time to reach out to that person and try to smooth things over.

National Text Your Ex Day is here to offer an excuse to think about and consider past relationships that might deserve an opportunity for more. Whether it’s sending a text out of curiosity to see how they are, to tell them off for how badly they treated you, or to tell them what an important part of life they were – this might just be the day to do it!

History of National Text Your Ex Day

While texting has become part of the everyday lives of billions of people around the world, it wasn’t so long ago that texting was a novel idea. Teenagers from just a generation ago couldn’t have texted their exes–they would have had to call them!

While the concept of texting or SMS (short message service) was developed in Germany in 1984, its execution took a few years to come to fruition. The first ever text message was sent in December of 1992 by a 22 year old engineer who used a computer to send the words “Merry Christmas” to a Vodafone mobile phone. Since that time, technology and culture has come a long way, bringing texting into the forefront as the most frequently used form of communication in the modern age, especially for those under the age of 60.

Every day, people use smartphone capabilities to text their family members, significant others, work colleagues and so much more. However, it is probably less likely that people are using their cell phones to text their ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends, ex-husbands or ex-wives. But that’s what National Text Your Ex Day encourages everyone to do!

National Text Your Ex Day might create a path for closure by confronting something that may have been too difficult in the past. On the other hand, this day might bring to light a bit of nostalgia, encouraging people to remember the romantic or positive feelings they may have had toward an ex and then reach out to thank them for it.

How to Celebrate National Text Your Ex Day

Looking for ideas on how to celebrate National Text Your Ex Day? Check out some of these ways to get involved and show appreciation for the day:

Send a Text to Your Ex

If it is safe and appropriate to do so, then the thing to do on this day might be to send a little text to an ex. Ask how they are doing, show interest in their life, and perhaps even let them know that they are forgiven for the hurt they caused – or that you are sorry for the harm you might have caused in the past. National Text Your Ex day is a time for forgiving and moving forward with relationships, so if it’s possible to gain some closure with an ex-partner, this might be the time to do it.

Be Wise When Texting Your Ex

Although this is a day that is probably meant to be celebrated tongue-in-cheek, it’s also important to maintain some boundaries and self-protection if reaching out to someone from the past. Counselors or other relationship professionals might make some of these suggestions before deciding whether or not to text an ex:

• Know Your Intentions. Before crafting that text, be sure to be crystal clear about what you are trying to accomplish. Know what you want to say to them and consider what the motivations are behind reaching out.
• Understand Your Expectations. Before texting your ex, be sure you know what you’re hoping the results might be, and whether your heart is prepared if that doesn’t happen. Are you hoping to get back together? Wishing they would apologize? Something else? For emotional health reasons, it can be best to go over the possibilities in advance to see how you will feel if you don’t get what you’re hoping for.
• Be Honest and Upfront. It’s a bad idea to reach out to an ex without telling them what you want. Ambiguity is uncomfortable and can create more harm than good. If you want to get back together, say so. If you’re looking for closure, let them know that too. It’s unkind to string an ex along and is not a healthy way to move forward in life.
• Be in an Emotionally Secure Place. It’s not a good idea to text an ex from a place of emotional instability or insecurity. Putting yourself “out there” by texting someone when you’re feeling weak and vulnerable is a bad idea, so be sure to do it only from feelings of strength and security.

Text a Good Friend Instead

Tempted to send an unwise text to an old flame on National Text Your Ex Day to try to get back together with them? Perhaps it would be a good idea to reach out to a good friend instead, explaining what you’re thinking of doing and getting their opinion and feedback.

Oftentimes, friends who don’t have romantic feelings and nostalgia to overcome can better remember why you broke up with them in the first place! If it was because they were a jerk who treated you badly or cheated on you, they can remember and give some perspective that would be helpful in making a balanced and healthy decision. They can remind you how much better life is without that ex and encourage you to stay the course for being single or hold out for someone better!