Breakup Recovery: Prevail in the First 72 Hours

She dumped you. And now you’re contemplating a patriot’s death, hurling yourself onto your own sword -- except you don’t own a sword, and your Swiss army knife would merely leave you maimed. Plus, you’re plagued by irrational thoughts about unfinished business (read: unreturned DVDs) and an afterlife of embarrassment (read: your adult comics stash).

Sure, a girl can curl up with a Bridget Jones’s Diary marathon and a quart of Chunky Monkey after a breakup. But what are you supposed to do?

Triumph, that’s what. Because that’s what you do. Here’s how:

1. Get some sleep.

The z’s are the first thing that go: You lie in bed, thrashing around, dreaming up coulda/shoulda/woulda scenarios. The next morning, you feel tortured, tired and lonely.

But like it does for many other conditions, sleep can help spur the recovery process, so you want to make sure you get your share. Here’s how:

  • Tire yourself out as much as you can during the day.
  • Resist the urge to pull down the shades and sleep indefinitely (or you’ll find yourself up all night watching “Tool Academy” reruns and kitchen appliance infomercials).
  • Can’t stop your brain when you finally lie down? Try safe, natural homeopathy Coffea, a sleep aid.
  • If all else fails, a little pharma help might be the way to go: If the over-the-counter stuff leaves you groggy and sedated, beg your doc for just three or four days’ worth of prescription sleep medication. That way, for at least eight of the day’s 24 hours, you won’t be writhing in emotional pain.
2. Get a baby sitter.

If you hit the town, have a strong, dedicated wingman who won’t let you out of his sight and will make sure you don’t get in a fight or end up crying on the shoulder of some girls you just met on the waiting line for the bathroom.

3. Lose her data.

Think ahead and take steps to ensure that in a moment of weakness (when you are tired, sad, lonely or any other of the 500 variations), you can’t write or call her and leave a message that will get you arrested or humiliated for the rest of your life. Delete her digits and email address(es) from all binary and tree-product storage (and make sure to hit those places you used to hide things from yourself).

4. Resist revenge.

You’re itching to call her co-worker who flirted shamelessly with you at your ex’s last Christmas party. But be the bigger man. This “pool of prohibited women” includes her younger sister, her MILF-y stepmom, her buxom neighbor … you get the point.

5. Avoid music.

Don’t avoid all music -- just John Jackson, Lionel Richie, Celine Dion and Frank Sinatra … all that sappy easy listening you indulge in when no one else is around. You know, the songs that include messages about “being nothing without you” and “If you don’t come back, I’ll die.” In fact, temporarily delete all such songs/albums/playlists from your iPod and stick with Metallica- and Kid Rock-type fare at all times. Swing music or a cappella will do in a pinch.

6. Launch you 2.0

OK, so you’ve done all the above to control the damage. So what do you do now?

First, join a dating Web site ASAP. There are, like, millions of single girls out there. So when you hear yourself start whimpering that she was the only one, get off your pity pot and cruise over to match.com.

And finally, hit the gym … with a vengeance. Funnel all that breakup angst into a Herculean upper body workout. After all, there’s nothing more therapeutic than looking strong and lean and confident to get other girls to notice you, pump up your ego and -- when you finally run into her -- get this ex to start doubting her judgment for giving the boot to a hunk like you.

But by then, of course, it will be too late, since you will have already moved on.

Dating a Jock

It’s every man’s fantasy: a girlfriend who loves to play and watch sports as much as he does. But dating a tomboy has its flip side. Do you play as hard? Do you let her win? Can you handle it if she’s better than you? Frankly, boys, it’s a minefield. Follow my advice if you want to get through it with all your parts intact.

The situation: She’s seriously athletic and has no qualms beating you. In front of your friends. Often.
The upside:
She’ll never make you come home at halftime. (And why would she? For her, that’s just midway through the game she’s winning.)
The problem:
She knows your weaknesses and injuries. She is wily, aggressive, and unrelenting. She has no problem handing you your balls at the end of any game you’re playing.
The solution:
You can’t ask her to take it easy on you, but you can recruit her to your team. So whenever you can, partner up with her. Get her to savor winning together, and maybe she’ll have some pity next time you’re head-to-head.

The situation: Her passion for sports is not exactly matched by her prowess.
The upside:
Tag football, Frisbee, miniature golf, kickball … If it’s a sport, she’s in. And shotgun.
The problem:
She strikes out, drops the ball, fouls, spaces out, and is in general the weakest link. She’s also your girl, so crushing her makes you feel like a cad.
The solution:
Level the playing field any way you can so she can still enjoy herself. Come up with an excuse as to why you should give her a head start or yourself a handicap. Most important in this situation: Allow yourself to really enjoy the game for the game’s sake.

The situation: She has a team for every season.
The upside:
She can pontificate on how Tiger’s scores are affecting the game of golf. She can home in on Jerome James’s apathetic performances. She can detail why the ref is picking on LeBron yet again.
The problem:
It’s always the opposing team. That’s right. You are UNC, she’s Duke. She’s Yankees, you are Red Sox. You are sleeping with the enemy. What this means? You disagree about sports. All. Year. Long.
The solution:
Enforce a “no talking about sports in the bedroom” rule. Pronto. You can agree to disagree about a foul or shot or resume the discussion the next day, but in general, when you pass through that doorway, sports banter should end and the pillow talk begin. Explain it to her this way and she’s sure to be game.

The situation: She’s obsessed with competition -- even more so than you are.
The upside:
If there’s a dart board, pool table or hacky sack in sight, she’s making a beeline for it.
The problem:
You never thought you’d say this, but you wish she’d pay more attention to you -- and not just to beating you.
The solution:
Your best bet here is honesty. Level with her. And then make plans for “we” time that doesn’t involve a pigskin, goal or referee: Try renting a movie or going to a concert. The more non-sports-related things you do together, the more non-sports-related content there will be to talk about, and all eyes should soon be on you.

The situation: She’s always in, whether she’s invited or not.
The upside:
While your buddies are getting the eye roll or pout from their ladies, yours is already changed into her sweats.
The problem:
It’s endearing but annoying that she’s always in tow when it comes to sports. Sometimes you wouldn’t mind playing -- or even just hanging -- with the guys.
The solution:
She lets you slither away when her friends mention a sale on boots or start complaining about their boyfriends. Well, flip the script. Tell her the guys want to talk guy stuff (if a buddy’s having girl trouble, even better), and she’ll most likely bow out of her own accord.

Photo Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/StanleyPhotography

Conquer Your Male Frenemies

I had a friend in high school -- let’s call him Dean. One-on-one, Dean and I had great times; we traded stories, shared adventures, confided in each other. But in a group, Dean changed. He would dismiss me offhandedly, make jokes at my expense, sometimes even physically shove me aside (not roughly, but still).

Looking back, I see now that Dean was a classic “frenemy” -- he wore the mask of a friend, but was really working against me. The term used to be confined to women, but as my frenemy Dean shows, the concept can apply equally well to men.

Signs of a Male Frenemy
Just as men and women behave differently, male frenemies act a little differently from the female variety. For example, says Chris Illuminati, co-author of A**hole.ol.o.gy: The Science Behind Getting Your Way -- And Getting Away With It, while female frenemies know that they’re screwing you over, men are more inclined to think that what they’re doing is no big deal. “Male frenemies are the guys who you just don't know where you stand with them,” says Illuminati. “One day they’re your best buddies, and the next they've done something to stab you in the back. It's usually over a girl but it can be extended to screwing you over in the workplace or with other friends.”

Indeed, hiding (or not even fully recognizing) their true nature is a key characteristic of the frenemy. Typically, points out Debbie Mandel, a relationship counselor and author of Addicted to Stress, a male frenemy is smooth, alert, and friendly face-to-face, but becomes subversive, undermining, and critical behind the scenes. “He can steal a guy’s woman for the fun of it ­-- to possess her because he can,” says Mandell. “He can undermine him in social gatherings with the guys by slinging the barbs or making fun of him… even betray a few confidences.”

Motives of the Male Frenemy
If you’ve been on the receiving end of such behavior, you’ve probably wondered: What could possibly motivate such blatant douchery? Why do frenemies act the way they do?

Illuminati thinks it all stems from jealousy. He theorizes that a frenemy probably genuinely likes you, but is jealous of some specific quality of yours that makes him want to see you fail. Mandel agrees, though adds that frenemies are unhappy with themselves and believe that by putting you down, it’s lifting them up.

Marc Rudov, the self-described “No-Nonsense Man” and Fox News commentator, has a different take altogether. He sees the male frenemy phenomenon as a symptom of a societal trend in which men are acting more and more like women. “A lot of this behavior is teenage girl behavior,” Rudov says. “Today’s guys are more like girls. There’s a whole wave of feminization of boys, and I think [frenemy behavior] is the result of that.”

Conquering the Male Frenemy
So how do you deal with a frenemy? It should be easy: De-friend him, just like you’d do on Facebook. That’s exactly what Rudov recommends. But what if your frenemy is part of a circle of friends? That’s clearly a more delicate situation, but there are still a few things you can do:

“Keep it light and superficial,” says Mandel. “There will be other guys to hang with in that circle, so concentrate on them.”

Illuminati takes it a step further; he suggests letting your other friends know that you don’t trust the frenemy. But be prepared. “You've got to have concrete examples of him being a douche,” he says.

Rudov’s advice is the simplest, and maybe best, of all: Rise above it. “If you have confidence in yourself, and you don’t worry about other guys, then you don’t really care.”

Photo Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Stockphoto4u

Play Your Summer Romance Into Overtime

Even if you’ve never done a karaoke duet to the Grease song “Summer Lovin’,” you know how the lyrics wind down:

Sandy: “It turned colder – that’s where it ends”
Danny: “So I told her we’d still be friends … ”

Well, we don’t have to tell you that by the end of the movie, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta return to being more than just friends! Autumn didn’t kill their summer romance, so why should it squash yours?

Sure, there are hurdles to extending a summer romance. But if you start planning now, you might be able to morph your bikini babe into your snow bunny.

Problem: She lives far away.
During the summer, you worked in the same company, camp or beach resort, so the fact that her year-round home is two hours and $26 in gas away wasn’t a problem. Now it is.
Solution:
Line up your calendars. A bit of good, old-fashioned planning can fairly divvy up long weekends and holidays. (Doing this while you’re still relaxed and have sand in your shorts is easier than trying to read her mind later.)

Problem: Long-distance love interests return.

Your girl comes back from her summer internship (darn -- you’d conveniently forgotten all about her!), or worse, her former love interest comes back from his sports-training camp. And his nickname is Skull Crusher.
Solution:
Make a pact to give yourselves a week, then talk about the status of the other love interests. Maybe hers will get deployed and yours will decide she didn’t like you anymore anyway. OK, things will probably be more complicated than that. But take a few days, then talk honestly to assess the situation and see how you feel.

Problem: Real life replaces summer.

Reality comes crashing down: The semester starts, or your boss is complaining about end-of-year goals, and all too soon you have to plan holiday gifts. Ah! What happened to your happy summer problems like whether to get rainbow or chocolate sprinkles?
Solution:
Start to negotiate real life again, and you’ll see if your relationship has any depth. Sure, you’ll yearn for July, but now you’ll be slapped out of being summer-happy and more able to see if you really are good partners in communicating and balancing life responsibilities.

Problem: You discover you’re from different worlds.
Summer routine and gear (read: shorts and T-shirts) were great levelers. But now with autumn here, you have to deal with old friends, hobbies, responsibilities, parents and siblings -- all of which might be very different from hers (maybe she’s an uptown girl and you’re a backstreet guy, or vice versa).
Solution:
Gauge the degree to which difference matters to you. If your September through May was pretty predictable, life isn’t. The chance to see and appreciate differences in people starts now. Maybe you have some learning to do, maybe she does. Perhaps it’s just a matter of telling your friends to simmer down and make room for your girl. Regardless, have an open mind.

Problem: Your relationship’s turning digital.

Now it seems time is scheduled into blocks and you can’t be as flexible with meeting up. In fact, texting is no longer a communication option -- it may be the only way you can touch base during the week.
Solution:
Make time for phone talk (remember that?) and Skype. They’re not as real as skin on skin, but they’re much better than just sexting in monosyllables while you wait at the gas station. You can even get really crazy and send a paper card, snail-mail-style (watch how amazing she’ll think that is!).

Come Out on Top -- By Letting Your Woman Call the Shots

It’s a very Latin idea: The man takes the initiative and takes charge when it comes to big relationship decisions.

“In general French men like to ‘have the upper hand.’ They want to be the ones who seduce and govern the rhythm of relationships,” notes Alain Héril, psychothérapeute, sexothérapeute and author of « Aimer » and « Pour l’harmonie du couple ». This practice developed from the basic idea that men are physically bigger and more powerful than women (a concept whose expiration date came quite a while ago). explains Héril.

Just because she wants more command doesn’t mean your relationship is destined to become a battlefield. Giving your woman some room to be sergeant has benefits for you too, soldier. Here are four scenarios where letting her take charge means you win:

SCENARIO ONE: PLANNING THE WEEKEND

Traditionally: You tell her, “Work has been atrocious all week long. I need to let off some steam!”

Woman in charge version: "Same here, the office is nonstop. Want to go rock climbing at Fontainebleau on Sunday?”

Good for you because: You two will get closer if you do physical activities together (and it’s a chance to show off your manly muscles). Plus, letting her make plans keeps things from getting boring. “But,” says Héril, “it’s important to recognize the difference between letting your woman decide how to organize things and you becoming lazy!”

SCENARIO TWO: INITIATING INTIMACY

Traditionally: You get touchy-feely-flirty with her during the day to show you're ready for a late night, or (despite the fact the sun's still out) you tell her you're in the mood right now.

Woman in charge version: She stops you before you get a word out and says, "Hey -- check out the new lingerie I just bought." She’s already wearing it . . .

Good for you because: There's no doubting whether she’s excited by you and you don't have to fear her saying no, points out Jill Bourdais, a clinical psychologist based in Paris who specializes in relationships. Now you're the one who can say no if you want -- so you actually gain some control by letting her initiate. Meanwhile, we'll let you imagine the other benefits of being with a woman who's not shy about her sexuality . . .

SCENARIO THREE: DINNER DATE

Traditionally: “Chérie, come to dinner with me. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Woman in charge version: “Chéri, can I take you out for dinner tonight? I want to pop some champagne and celebrate my new bonus!”

Good for you because: You’re not always the one paying for dates (or proposing them). Says Héril: “If there’s one area where men can release their grip, it’s money. Paying for dinner is just the start: Let her manage the bank account. And you should be accepting if she earns more than you. They’re some of the ways to get out of the old equation that the man brings home the money and the woman takes care of the home.”

SCENARIO FOUR: AFTER-WORK PLANS

Traditionally: "You're meeting up with your Olivier and Gus? Two men and you? No way, not unless I'm joining!"

Woman in charge version: "You have nothing to worry about. And we’d like to keep it at just we three -- we want to spend lots of time catching up and talking about people you don’t know. Why don’t you go out with your buddies?"

Good for you because: You, too, can go out with whomever you want, guilt-free (or just stay home and watch Eurosport without her nagging). "In the past, girls who wanted to hold on to their guy friends and stay in touch with old boyfriends were much less vocal about their desires," says Bourdais. "On top of that, it was more acceptable for their significant others to say no." Today, women feel entitled to spend their out-of-office time as they see fit. So check your jealousy and enjoy the new power-sharing in coupledom -- the night is young!