Girls who have had their heart broken tend to love a little differently than girls who have never gone through that kind of pain. I'm sure it's the same for guys, too. After your heart has been broken, it's so hard to trust anyone again. You're so afraid to let yourself love. You have every reason in the world to try again, though – everyone deserves love, after all. It's just that you have a different way of falling in love after you've been heartbroken.
1 You're Much More Cautious with Your Heart
After your heart breaks, you know how very important it is to be careful with it, especially when you're ready to give love another shot.
2 You Don't Give Away Anything Too Quickly, Especially Your Feelings
This time around, you know the value of taking things slow when it comes to your emotions and revealing your feelings.
3 You Have a Better Idea about What You Want
No matter why your last relationship ended, it probably taught you something about what you want in a partner.
4 And You Know a Lot More about You Absolutely Will Not Stand for
More importantly, you have a better idea about what you won't put up with and what you don't want in your life.
5 You Don't Trust Quite as Easily as You Did before
You might even feel downright distrustful for a while, and a healthy dose of cynicism definitely isn't unheard of after you experience a broken heart.
6 Your Expectations and Standards Are More Realistic
You don't really care about meeting someone rich or ridiculously handsome. You realize what you really deserve.
7 You Recognize Which Traits Are Important in a Potential Partner
After a painful breakup, it's common to realize that certain traits, especially shallow or materialistic ones, aren't as important as finding someone kind, respectful, and loving.
8 It's Easier for You to Spot Warning Signs
Maybe your last partner cheated on you, abused you, or simply wasn't there for you – as you move forward, though, you can use what you learned and saw in your last relationship to benefit your future relationships.
9 It Probably Takes You a Bit More Time to Fall in Love
You know the risks, you know how much it hurts when things don't work out, and you just don't want to let yourself fall too quickly – you want to make sure you know it's real.
10 It May Take You Even Longer to Actually Admit That You're in Love
You're so afraid of getting hurt, it's natural for you to want to make sure that you're really in love and that your new partner honestly loves you, too.
11 You Also Know That Love Doesn't Automatically Fix Every Problem
More than anything, you know just what it takes to make a relationship work.
12 You're Determined Not to Make the Same Mistakes Again
You won't make the same mistakes twice and you won't spend time with anyone who exhibits the same traits as the person who broke your heart.
13 You Might Be a Little Suspicious about Certain Things at First
It's natural to feel suspicious when you start dating again, but even as you watch for warning signs, remember that you can't treat a new person based on your ex's behavior.
14 You're More Inclined to Make a New Partner Earn Your Trust
You don't want to get burned again, and besides, trust needs to be earned.
15 You're Also More Willing to Take Risks
You're more careful with your heart, but at the same time, you now know that you can get through anything.
16 You Recognize That Each Love is Different
You know that people are allowed to fall in love more than once, and you know that someone new won't be like your ex.
17 You Know How Truly Strong You Are Now
You made it through the fire, you got through the pain, and you came out stronger in the end – that's amazing.
How did you get back into dating after having your heart broken? How did it affect you?
