Break-ups can be hard, but what can be even harder is cutting all ties with your ex. It is not easy going from talking and texting one person every day to acting like they do not exist. When it comes to exes it is hard not to call them every day (note: depending on the relationship/ person/ reason for break-up).

There are many different ways to avoid talking to your ex. Some are a little passive aggressive, and some are blatantly obvious. Here are some tips and trick to not calling, text, or contacting your ex.

1. Change their name on your phone.

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Every ex that I have in my contacts has a different name as their contacts. One of them even has a picture of Nathan Fillion judging me for even thinking about answering the call. These names are thought of in either one or two ways. Either my friends and I came up with the name after finishing a few bottles of wine, or I changed it in a brief moment of rage and completely forgot the reason of why this person was named 'manipulative piece of garbage' (By the way I changed the name, but this was still a good example). My exes are either 'Disgusting Piece of S**t' or Tomi Lahren. They are essentially the same thing, but they should know which ones they are in my contacts.

2. Keep your 'read' receipts on so they know you're ignoring them.

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Nothing says 'I know you are trying to get my attention, but you're not worth my time so I'm not even going to respond' than have your 'read' receipts on. This seems kind of mean, but it gets the point across that you do not want to talk to this person.

3. Change their ringtone to 'New Rules' by Dua Lipa.

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If our Lord and savior Dua Lipa tells you "don't pick up the phone" then DO NOT PICK UP THE PHONE; because your ex is only calling you because he really is drunk and alone.

4. Have your friends hold you accountable.

I had a friend literally tackle me to the floor, throw my phone off a two-story balcony, and slap me across the face because she caught me texting my ex at a party. If that's not real friendship, then I don't know what is. (This might also be considered abuse. There is a really fine line between the two).

5. Just throw your phone in a lake.

I take this back! Don't actually do this! Phones are expensive. This was just a joke.

6. Block them on your phone.

This one is an oldie but a goodie! The best way to cut all ties with an ex, it to cut them off completely. If they can't contact you through, call, text, Snapchat, or even carrier pigeon then you can find a clear path to break-up recovery. You can get some room to breathe and grieve the ending of your relationship.

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No matter what I say about relationships or how much exes suck and how we need to avoid them at all costs, a lot of the times we can't move on from an ended relationship because we fall into the same patterns. Cutting off all contact after a break-up is a key factor in healing through the grieving process of terminated relationships. How do you expect to move on if you are constantly talking to someone who you ended a relationship with?