There comes a time after every breakup when your brain begins doing something utterly stupid: remembering the good times.

Suddenly, you forget the arguments, the disappointment, the obnoxious behavior, and the many times you asked yourself, "Why the hell am I even doing this?"

You start obsessing over that day, 3 years ago, when they did something super romantic and sweet.

If you find your current self in this state of utter insanity, put the phone down.

Before you send a "Hey stranger" text and possibly ruin your life forever, here are a few things to do instead.

7 Things Better Than Taking Back Your Crappy Lubbock Ex

black and white heart illustration

1. Get Dressed Up For No Reason

Pull out the outfit you saved for the date they NEVER took you on and put it on.

Do your hair. Do your makeup. Use the good perfume.

Go somewhere. Anywhere will do.

You don't need someone waiting for you at a restaurant to get spiffy and turn heads.

(Make sure you post a few selfies, for good measure.)

2. Make Plans With Your Friends

Call up your friends.

You know, the people you used to hang out with all the time before you met your ex?

Chances are, they've been waiting for this moment for a long time.

See a movie. Go to the bar. Order pizza, catch up, and tell them all about it.

Sometimes, just saying things out loud can really put it in perspective.

3. Rearrange Your Home

Switch up the vibes.

Rearrange furniture.

Change the bedding.

Buy a stupid little lamp, or something that makes the place feel like YOUR space again.

Bonus points: Loudly jam whatever music would have annoyed them the most.

4. Buy Yourself The Thing You Were Waiting For Them To Buy You

They never did get around to buying you that necklace, did they?

Come to think of it...they didn't buy you so much as a sandwich.

Buy yourself whatever it was they kept promising they'd get you, birthday after birthday.

They were never going to do it, and you don't need them to.

Get it for yourself.

READ MORE: Everyone Has Beef With At Least One Lubbock Business

5. Go Somewhere Alone

The park. The store. The movies.

Being alone and being lonely are two different things.

Remind yourself that you are perfectly capable of doing things alone and having a great time without someone totally awful holding your hand.

6. Delete Their Number

While you're at it, delete their mom's number too.

Don't rename it "DO NOT TEXT."

Or, "STUPID JERK FACE."

There's a dangerous little window late at night when you're eating snacks alone in bed where you might be tempted to say something to them.

Don't even allow yourself the opportunity to make that mistake.

They don't deserve that sad, Cheeto-filled, desperate version of you.

Not at all.

7. Remember Why It's Over

This one is tricky.

When you're lonesome, your brain is going to play an endless reel of the greatest hits.

It will remember snuggly nights in front of the TV.

It will remember cooking breakfast Sunday mornings.

It will remember stupid inside jokes that only the two of you shared.

Make sure it also remembers the bullsh*t.

You're allowed to keep the good memories forever, but don't suddenly develop amnesia.

Don't let yourself forget the bad things that led you to end it.

You gave them plenty of chances they never deserved.

Do not forget the icky stuff.

Ever.

And Don't Forget...

You can miss someone, even if you know they don't belong in your life.

You don't need to find a new person immediately to boast on Facebook.

You don't need revenge.

You have nothing to prove to your ex.

Just start building a life that feels good without them.

One day, you'll realize you've gone an entire week without thinking about them a single time.

String a few weeks like that together, and suddenly it's a month.

Then, it's a year.

Next thing you know, you're happier than you've ever been.

Suddenly, you aren't waiting around for them anymore.

You have your life back.

For more things to do that are way better than texting your ex, keep scrolling through the galleries below...