Dating can be tricky, we all know that. Just when you think you’re having fun being single and getting into a groove, you find a girl who fills some of your needs and checks off the proverbial boxes, making you fall hard and leading to a relationship. If things go south, though, that’s when it can be even trickier.

Relationships are a lot of fun, with two people working as a team to experience new things together and supporting one another no matter what. They’re selfless and show patience. That said, breaking up can be difficult, and can even cause months or years of heartache.

Even when a guy gets back to his single ways, a lot of times, he feels unfulfilled — especially as he ages — leading to loneliness as his buddies get into serious relationships, marriage and/or having kids. It leads some guys to self-doubt, wondering what they did wrong or what they might be lacking. And, for those who can’t seem to get their ex off his mind, we have some tips that might be untraditional, but important nevertheless.

Yep, it’s this simple: knowing when to get back with your ex-girlfriend. As difficult as that may be, there are signs to look for that can lead to certain behaviors to try and get her back. Here are some of the most prominent ones, per This Is Insider.

You compare every date to her

You know that old saying, “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side?” Well, this sort of relates to it, because, as much as your ex-girlfriend had bad habits that drove you crazy, when you get out there and date other girls, you realize that hers are more tolerable than some of the other girls you’ve gone on dates with. Whether you leave a date thinking about how your ex was more outgoing or flirty, or how much more put together she was over some of the other girls, it may be a clear sign that you’re making the first step in repairing a relationship with your ex-girlfriend.

The problems that led to a break-up can be fixed

Break-ups happen for a variety of reasons, most of which can be as simple as bad communication. Sure, there are other factors, but, if you already find yourself comparing new girls with your ex-girlfriend, a second sign of (potentially) reaching out could be understanding that some of the reasons a break-up occurred could be fixed. Seriously think about what might have gone wrong and how you might deal with such issues now compared to when in the moment. If you think you’ve made strides to better cope with some of the problems, it could lead to reaching out to your ex.

You can’t help but think about the chemistry you two had

Sure, there’s the whole sexual chemistry that your ex-girlfriend and you (hopefully) had, but, more than that, a friendship was truly built between you two. And, if you find yourself thinking more about the good times and memories you and your ex-girlfriend had together, it may be the final sign that you might want to reach out and try to make things work again. Of course, the feeling must be reciprocated from her, but when a strong bond is formed between two people, that can be hard to duplicate with someone else, and, at times, it may steer you back to an ex-girlfriend after some time away from one another.

(H/T This Is Insider)