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We all need a little R&R between relationships.
By Emily Ratay — Written on May 24, 2019
No matter how long your last relationship was, it’s always a good idea to take a break before jumping into a new relationship.
In fact, it’s crucial to take time for yourself after dealing with a breakup. Sometimes, we tell ourselves that the relationship was short enough that it didn’t really count as a relationship, or we tell ourselves that we’re fine and that we don’t need any time to recover, but this is an important time in your life that you shouldn’t take for granted.
Relationships – long or short, serious or casual – can take a lot out of you.
You’re putting so much time and energy into one person that, when the relationship ends, it can feel like a part of you leaves along with your ex. Even if some breakups make you sadder than others, they are all significant in some way or another.
Just like letting yourself recover after a hard workout, it’s important to let your body and mind heal after a breakup. Depending on your zodiac sign, you may only need a few weeks to heal after a breakup. For other zodiac signs, a few months to a few years is better. This is because everyone handles breakups differently.
What might be easy and no big deal for you might be a big heartbreak for someone else. But whether you’re a zodiac sign who can get over your exes fast or one who needs time to nurse a broken heart, we should all take advantage of the time we have as single people when we’re between relationships.
For one, it’s a great way to heal. When you’re with someone for so long, it can be easy to feel like you’re losing part of your identity.
Waiting between breakups is a good way to reconnect with yourself again and focus on what you want in life to make you happy, rather than making sacrifices in your relationship.
Plus, being single should be just as fun as being in a relationship. Having more time for friends, enjoying more freedom, and being able to process your breakup on your own time are all much better for your mental health than jumping into a rebound relationship right away.
You can heal after a breakup in whatever way makes sense to you, but however you do it, give yourself time to be single.
Astrology can help you decide the right amount of time to be single for your zodiac sign. And when you feel like you’re ready to get back into the relationship, I suggest grabbing your friends and being each other’s wing people.
Here is how long to wait between relationships, based on your zodiac sign.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
Aries, you fall out of love (or like) with someone just quickly as you fall in love with them. You’re like a comet: You burn bright and fast, and the relationship can be over before you know it.
Sometimes, it’s your own choice to end things, but sometimes, you’re the one who gets broken up with. Either way, you’re not one to dwell on the breakup because it’s just depressing.
You can find yourself getting impatient between relationships – because who doesn’t want someone to dote on them all the time, amirite? – but you also respect your need to recover after a breakup.
Challenge yourself to wait a month before dating someone new. During this time, remember that being single is just as important as being with someone, and you need some time for self-love and self-improvement before jumping back into the dating scene.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
You really put all of yourself into your relationship, Taurus – that’s why it hurts so much when you break up with someone. You don’t know who you are after a break-up, and it can be pretty disorienting to live life without your other half.
Jumping into a new relationship immediately after a break-up is a bad idea for you. You’re most likely still hung up on your ex, and your new bae won’t appreciate feeling like second best.
Plus, you’re a long-term relationship kind of guy, which means that you have to learn how to heal after months or years of being with someone… this isn’t just some fling you had. Give yourself a year between relationships to really heal and let go.
I know, it sounds like a long time, but a year can go by very fast when you’re focusing on the right things in life. Use this time as a single person to dive into your work or a passion project you’ve been putting aside.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
You are quite the player, Gemini. If you’re not with Bae #1, you’re with Bae #2 and texting Bae #3 at the same time. Long-term relationships and serious commitments be damned – you’re on this earth to have a good time.
Plus, your curious nature drives you to want to explore as many dating opportunities as possible, so break-ups aren’t really ever heartbreaking for you. You should wait about two weeks after a break-up before getting into a new relationship.
I realize that you’ll probably still talk to a handful of people during this time, but anything YOU would consider true dating? Take a week or two off before jumping back on that horse. You can use that time to recover and scope out your next potential bae.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
You can be a little shy and reserved when you first meet a potential partner, Cancer, but once you start developing your relationship with them, you’re all in.
In other words, you’re a fierce lover once you find your comfort zone. But, because you’re so comfortable in your relationship, when you’re faced with a break-up, it can take you years to recover.
You’re so scared to be rejected and have to go through yet another breakup that you don't have to be told to wait a while before you start dating again – you’re going to wait and let your wounded heart heal anyway.
Still, you should wait one to two years before dating again. This time will be crucial to you building up your confidence again and preparing to take risks in the name of love. Getting back in the game is daunting, but you can do it, Cancer.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
One of the best qualities about you, Leo, is your ability to stay optimistic through even the darkest days. Sure, you may be dealing with a breakup, but you still love yourself and know that you deserve all the best things in life, so getting rid of someone who doesn’t agree is just shedding dead weight.
After a breakup, you’re ready to get right back into the dating game – life is too short to not be loved and worshipped every single day, amirite?
You should wait two weeks before dating again. This will give you enough time to re-feng shui your bedroom (to get rid of your ex’s bad energy), donate your ex’s crap to the Dumpster behind your apartment, and pick out your “seduction outfit” for the next time you go out with your friends. Breakup blues? Never heard of her…
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
Virgo, you’re a very discerning dater (AKA picky). You’re not going to date just anyone that catches your eye until you put them through your rigorous screening process first. Hey, you’re not going to waste your time on someone who isn’t good for you! You need a partner in crime who makes life easier, not harder.
Breakups aren’t super hard for you to handle because, in the back of your mind, you always seem to know when they’re coming. And if you’re not the one doing the breaking up, you’re impatiently waiting for your ex to get it over with.
Wait about a month before you start dating again. In all honesty, you’d rather be single than with someone who isn’t going to enhance your life in any way, but when you are ready to find a new bae, the least you can do is use your month as a singleton to learn from your past and dive into self-care.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
The chance to have a beautiful relationship is like your own personal fairytale, Libra. You love romance and beauty, and when you find someone you really connect with, it can feel like you’re floating on cloud nine.
That’s why it sucks so much when you’re dealing with a breakup – it all feels like it’s suddenly crashing down on you. You have the ability to get hung up on your exes and painting them in a better light than they really were after a breakup, which can really hurt your chances of moving on.
It’s important to wait about six to eight months before dating again. You need to use this time to shed your old skin and start anew.
The only way you’re going to be able to get over a breakup is to leave it all in the past. Use this time to practice self-love and self-care, and really think about how to make yourself happy in your next relationship.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
Your approach to relationships is to be intense and seductive, Scorpio. You’re the one people can’t get off their minds, and you like it that way. As long as you hold all (or most) of the power, you’re happy. Relationships need to happen at your own pace for you to feel comfortable.
Otherwise, you feel like a tiny animal trapped in an unfamiliar space – it can lead to panic and anxiety. There’s a good chance that it took you quite a while to really warm up to your partner in your last relationship.
And now that it’s over, it’s going to take you quite a while to recover. Wait two to three years before you start dating again.
This doesn't necessarily mean you can’t enjoy casual hook-ups, but serious relationships are off the table until then. You can use this time to focus on other things that are important to you. Who knows? You might fall for someone without even trying during this time.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
You’re pretty spontaneous and unpredictable, Sagittarius, so there’s a good chance your most recent relationship was one that started after knowing each other for a week and ended after being together for a week. You play the dating game fast and loose, that’s for sure.
You really only need to wait about a week or two before dating again because you’re not one to get hung up on your emotions or your exes.
You don’t like to take relationships seriously because each one is different from the last. You’re just here to have a good time – you don’t need to make a big thing out of every hookup and relationship you have.
Really, all you want is someone who can be a friend and a lover; everything else is details. I say, do you and have fun, Sagittarius.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
Dating is fun and all, but you’re looking for a life partner, Capricorn. You don’t date just for the heck of it; you date because you want to find that one person you can share the rest of your life with.
It’s a long process, but you’re willing to put in the legwork. That’s why you’re okay with waiting six months to a year between partners.
Relationships are an investment for you. You treat each partner with respect and take each relationship seriously.
When one ends, you give yourself time to focus on your family and friends, work, and other passion projects before diving back in.
Once you’re ready to date again, you take your time searching for the right person instead of jumping into something just because you’re lonely. There’s definitely a process with you, Capricorn.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
You actually prefer to be single, Aquarius. When you’re single and on your own, you feel like you get a lot of sh*t done.
That’s not to say that you don’t like being in a relationship at all, it just means that you are still able to find a lot of purpose and meaning in your life after a breakup.
Breakups can really suck for you if you feel like you’re losing a best friend on top of a romantic partner, but if it didn’t mean too much to you, you’re okay going back to the single life.
You should wait a year or two before dating again. This isn't because you have a hard time getting over your ex after a breakup. It’s because you really are good on your own.
You can use this time to focus on a passion project, get a new job, move to a new city, or learn a new language.
The sky’s the limit for you! You know how to make the best out of any situation you’re in, and starting a new relationship is just the icing on the cake – it’s not imperative, but it’s a nice addition to your life when you’re ready.
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
You have one of the biggest hearts of all the zodiac signs, Pisces, and you are also one of the biggest hopeless romantics. Love is so important to you – in any form.
You often put so much of yourself into a relationship that when it ends, you feel lost and incomplete without your other half. Needless to say, breakups can be a bitch for you to get over.
You should wait between three and six months before dating again. You are surprisingly resilient and that is what is going to make the healing process easy.
You’re not afraid to let yourself feel your emotions, and when you give yourself a chance to cry, it makes getting over a breakup even easier.
Plus, you love to love so no one can keep you away from looking for your next relationship for too long. You’re willing to put in the hard work for love, Pisces!
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Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment and feminism, and knows that anything is possible in the right pair of shoes. She plans on writing a non-fiction book in the future.