What grieving steps are normal after a situationship ends?

A situationship ending can leave you feeling confused, sad, or even a bit directionless. Here’s the truth: It’s completely normal to grieve after a situationship. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, find support, and actively move forward. You’ll regain your sense of self, even if it takes time.

Let’s dive deeper into why grieving a situationship feels different, and how to navigate these very normal steps.

Unlike traditional relationships, situationships often blur the boundaries of commitment, affection, and expectations. They exist in that gray area between friendship and romance, and that ambiguity can create both excitement and unease. When a situationship ends, you may mourn not just the person, but the potential of what could have been, the routine you shared, and the emotional attachment that developed.

Step one: Allow yourself to feel. You might feel sadness, anxiety, frustration, or relief. Don’t judge your emotions or try to speed them up. Your feelings are valid. Ignoring or suppressing them only makes the recovery process longer. Whether you’re sad about lost potential or disappointed by unfulfilled promises, naming what you feel helps you process and move on.

Step two: Find clarity and closure—even if you don’t get an official ending. Situationships rarely have a neat breakup conversation. This can leave you wondering what really happened. Take time for yourself to reflect on why it ended, what you learned, and what you need going forward. Journaling can help put things in perspective. Write down your observations and push yourself to see the bigger picture. Did you ignore red flags? Did you compromise on your needs?

Step three: Reclaim your routine and declutter your life. A situationship often takes up both physical and mental space. Remove reminders from your environment. Delete chats, archive photos, unfollow them if it helps. Clear out physical items that needlessly remind you of the past. When possible, reorganize your schedule and make time for your interests and passions. Decluttering externally can be just as liberating as letting go internally; it tells your brain, “I’m moving on.”

Step four: Reconnect with yourself and your support network. Call friends who bring you joy. Engage with activities that excite you. Remind yourself that love and validation can come from within and from steady, supportive people already in your life. You are more than just your connection to someone else.

Step five: Acknowledge the victory in letting go. Many people stay too long in half-defined relationships, afraid of what comes next. Breaking free shows growth and a willingness to prioritize your happiness.

Ending a situationship hurts, but it is also an opportunity to declutter your emotional life and prioritize your wellbeing. Listen to yourself. Ask yourself what you truly want. Use resources and tools that fit your experience. One such tool is notBf, an AI companion designed for young women navigating the complexities of modern dating and situationships. It’s the only hyper-personalized app that helps you gain real clarity in your dating life, supporting you as you move forward with strength and wisdom.

Grief might be part of your process, but growth is too.