Breaking up a relationship is always difficult, but if you follow a few simple steps, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary pain. First, do not delay. If you're ready leave, hanging on just to avoid the inevitable will only make things worse. Second, when you tell the person, be honest. That does enough about the person to go out with him or her, you should care enough to not, however, mean delving into aspects of your life that are off limits. If, for instance, you have a new love interest, your old boyfriend or girlfriend does not need to know the details of this new relationship. Third, be respectful of the person. Avoid name-calling or assigning blame for the failed relationship. Finally, do not give false hope. If it's over, its over. And don't use the line "We can still be friends." Only time will tell if that is true or not.