If your ex is trying to make you jealous, guess what? That’s a good thing! And if you are in fact jealous, then you are not over your ex and should sure think about getting back with them! If you were over them you would not care one way or the other what they want to do and who they want to do it with. Thus, you sure would not be jealous! And if you were not jealous then you wouldn’t be reading this story! So the fact that you are reading it means your ex has succeeded in making you jealous!
So let’s get into it, why would your ex try to make you jealous?
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They are trying to get a reaction out of you
The main reason an ex will try to make you jealous is to get a reaction out of you. Whether that reaction is positive or negative makes little difference, as long as you react. A positive reaction is doing things such as liking the picture he posted on social media cozying up with another female and looking quite happy. The fact that you reacted to it – though positively, means you are keeping up with his actions. He likes this. For him, it means you are still interested. A negative reaction is getting into an argument as to why he could do this to you — this he will find quite amusing since he would have accomplished his mission. Now he knows you still care and don’t want him to be with anyone else.
Don’t react when your ex tries to make you jealous
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They still have feelings for you
An ex will try to make you jealous in an effort to get a reaction out of you because he still harbors feelings for you. In fact, he wants you back. He wants you to come to him and reopen the lines of communication which you may have closed based on the no contact code period. The moment you react he feels some amount of comfort that all is not lost. Fact, if given the opportunity he would take you back.
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They may want to not feel the hurt caused by the breakup
Sometimes an ex just wants to numb the feeling caused by the breakup and seeks comfort with someone else. While he may not be deliberately trying to make you jealous in this instance it is still about coping with losing you.
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They are angry
Your ex knows that if you see them with someone else this would anger you without measure and so he may be doing this simply to make you as mad as a hypo with a hernia! Did he succeed? Dang! You just gave him a level of accomplishment.
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They want you to see they can survive without you
Your ex is prancing around with someone else as a show to you that they can live without you in their life. Usually, if they have to go out of their way to do this it means they really cannot live without you! Like I said before. It’s just a show!
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They want you to come running back before they are snatched up.
Your ex could be trying to make you jealous as a mind game. They want you to come running back to them before ‘someone else snatches them away’. This has been known to work and pull the ex doing the no contact out of hiding and reaching out. Again, they would have accomplished their mission.
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They want you to see they are a good catch for something else
They want you to see that even though you may not think that highly of them – especially if you broke it off — that they are a good catch for someone else. As Joe Tex says in his recorded song ‘hold on to what you’ve got’. He is just letting you see the possibilities that are out there.
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Maybe they really are not!
There is also a chance your ex is really not trying to make you jealous but you are because you still have strong feelings for them. You are probably still quite sensitive from the breakup. So then, how can you be sure your ex is really trying to make you jealous?
SIGN #1 – He’s doing the opposite of his personality
So he is not the going out every weekend type, in fact, you argued so many times because he refused to take you out if it was not your birthday. On top of that, he hates selfies, he thinks they are for people who are conceited. Yet every weekend you check his Facebook and Instagram and there are dozens of photos of him at some club or party with some screaming lassy gyrating away. Yes, this is not like him so he is definitely trying to make you jealous.
SIGN #2 – He shows up at your home to pick up the last of his things with a drooling, too friendly young girl by his side
Why else would he bring her to your house to pick his stuff up if not to make you jealous? I’m sure he isn’t that dumb! You dated him after all! He definitely wants you to react to his new broad.
SIGN #3 – He turns up at your favorite hangout spot sporting the girl you told him months ago had a crush on him and he blew it off and wasn’t the least bit perturbed by it.
OK, so months ago he wasn’t interested in her, and you know this. But suddenly he turns up at your favorite hangout spot, knowing full well you would be there. But to make matters worst, he goes out of his way to introduce you to her as his ex!
SIGN #4 – He accidentally sent you a text calling you baby then sent an apology text to say it was meant for someone else.
So it’s the middle of the night and out of nowhere, you get this random text “goodnight baby, I really enjoyed being with you tonight. Sleep tight angel”. Before you could ponder on it another text comes in “sorry, wrong person”. Don’t let it stop you from having a good night’s sleep, you are on to him! Smile and go to sleep, do not even respond to the text. Which is what he wanted. Now he will be the one wondering what you are thinking — which may very well keep HIM up all night!
But since your ex wants to play that make ‘em jealous game, then it’s game on! Here are some tips for reversing his jealousy tactics.
Approach #1: Do not react to any of his posts, texts, or introduction to his newest conquest.
If you are convinced your ex has been trying to make you jealous, then turn the table around. Yes, you are still hung up on him and you cannot help yourself, every night you just have to check his social media status. And you can’t help feeling somewhat jealous, angry, and hurt at the same time. However, do not respond to any of his posts. In fact, do what you need to, to hide the fact that you visited is page, so no matter what you do, do not like or dislike any of his posts. When he sees no reaction from you he will get bored and stop posting. The whole aim was to get a reaction out of you and once that is not forthcoming then he will give up on that. If he introduces you to his new girl, smile and be as polite as possible. In fact, compliment her on something – her hair, her shoes, her dress, whatever — as long as you do so in front of him. This will have him wondering if you have lost all interest in him and do not care that he is dating someone else. Soon he will lose interest in her as he did for his postings.
Approach #2: Invite out that hot guy he always felt you would get involved with even though you kept reassuring him you had no interest there.
Well, now you are interested! Even if just for one night. Invite this particular guy out. He was convinced he had a serious crush on you so make sure you take a lot of pictures and post them up! He will be crazy jealous and may not be able to contain himself the moment he sees the pictures! He will surely be either calling or texting to question you about it.
Approach #3: Go out as much as possible
It doesn’t matter who you go with, your girlfriends are always a very good bet! Again, take a lot of pictures laughing and having fun. Just the fact that you are out and about and having so much fun will be enough to drive him crazy. His thoughts are how is it that you are having so much fun while he is miserable. Again, he will want to reach out to find out if you got over him already. The icing on the cake is if you were to visit places both of you had planned to go together and didn’t get the chance to. Now you are driving a dagger through his already broken heart! Poor guy!
Approach #4: Change your entire appearance
If you are up to it, which I suspect you may not be – then go for jogs, hit the treadmill, or go to the gym. The idea here is not necessarily to lose weight – your body may already be perfect, the aim is to energize yourself. The more you exercise the more you feel ready to tackle the world and all its challenges. What I will encourage though is a change of your appearance. A make-over that will have his male knickers in a twist! If you had long hair, get a short bob, if your hair was short try some extensions. If you liked loose-fitting clothes try something more provocative. Then make sure to go out of your way to ‘accidentally bump into him’. I will tell you though if you are changing your appearance develop the no-nonsense confident attitude to go with it. A mind-blowing look is nothing without the attitude to bring it off. When you bump into him he should be drooling and regretting ever messing with you!
Approach #5: wear his favorite outfit on a date with some other guy
You know his favorite outfit — the one he bought you and can’t keep his hands off you whenever you put it on? Well depends on how hard you want to play and the level of jealously you want to extract from him — wear this out with someone else. When you do, take lots of pictures and again, post! He may drown in his own jealousy and when he cannot take it anymore he will reach out. Of course, his reaching out may not be good – but any reaction is a good reaction in this case.