The emotional pain that comes with a break-up can be incredibly deep and extremely difficult to cope with.

This is especially true if your last break-up involved a betrayal from your partner, or an ending that was painful in other ways. After a break-up, naturally you want to move forward with your life, including moving on and meeting someone new.

However, it’s not always as straightforward as you might like to think, especially when emotions are involved. It’s vital that you don’t just jump back into a rebound relationship as soon as your current one has ended; you need to take some time off from dating to get back to being you again, before you prepare yourself for dating. And once you’ve taken the time you need and are ready to jump back in, be mindful of these six things that are designed to make the process of dating again as easy as possible.

1. Be mindful of your emotions.

After a break-up, it’s normal to hold onto some of the feelings such as anger, sadness, bitterness, etc. Don’t try to hide these feelings from yourself though – be mindful of how you are feeling and embrace those emotions. You may still be upset about your previous relationship ending, and that’s okay! Don’t fight that feeling, just be aware of it and know that it will get better in time.

2. Become comfortable with yourself again.

Before anyone else can love you, you need to love yourself. If you want to build a healthy relationship, it’s important that you are comfortable with yourself and who you are. Take the time to learn more about yourself and become comfortable in the skin you’re in.

3. Envisage a positive future.

Realize that just because you’ve been hurt in the past, it doesn’t mean you will be hurt again. Remember that, because it’s important. Be positive about your future relationships, but be open and honest with any potential suitors about the fact that you’ve been hurt before.

4. Take a leap.

You might be feeling scared or anxious about getting into a new relationship, but at some point you need to take a leap of faith. If you’re not sure how to do that (aka how to meet someone new), don’t panic! Struggling to find someone is a common problem that can easily be fixed. Consider using an introduction service. There’s nothing wrong with getting a bit of help finding “The One”, so don’t feel embarrassed to do so. Plenty of people have met their lifetime partner using dating apps or services. (But maybe steer clear of ones like Tinder, just to be safe.)

5. Take it slowly.

Don’t rush things when you meet someone new. Make sure to take things slowly. You’ve just gotten out of a relationship that has been damaging emotionally, so it’s important that you don’t rush this new relationship. Get to know each other as well as possible before moving on to the next level. This will help you keep your head and heart straight about what you want.

6. Have fun.

When it comes to choosing what you do on your dates, do so wisely. Opt for fun, casual dates, instead of more serious ones. If you can find someone who you can laugh with, your relationship is more likely to be successful.

Getting back into dating after a break-up isn’t easy. But if you are smart about the steps you take, you can improve the chances that your next relationship will be a successful one.