It may catch you at the most unexpected time, when your boyfriend suddenly would come up to you and tell you that "he needs space" and would want some time off from the relationship. That may be devastating to you especially if your relationship has been going on for many years. So you find yourself asking the all too common question, "can I still get my ex back"?

If it comes to this point, you may want to learn some strategies if you're serious about getting your ex back, such as these:

1. First, don't beg, don't stalk and don't let him think you're really desperate to get him back. After telling you he needs space, the last thing he needs is someone clinging to him desperately. He probably needs to be alone, and so let him be. Let him think that the break up is his loss, not yours.

2. If you're sensing that all is not lost and your boyfriend still has some feelings for you, remind him from time to time what a good thing he had going with you. You can do this by sending some short messages, by email or text. Keep the conversation to a minimum. That will make him feel your presence, without really overwhelming him.

3. When it looks like your ex boyfriend is still interested with you, give it another try and just work harder on keeping the relationship. Focus on all the good things about the relationship. Do not keep bringing back past mistakes as they would surely ruin any chances of making the relationship work for good.

You will soon recognize if he's still interested to pursue the relationship. If he really just wants some space now, but he's still showing some signs that this is just temporary, then do not completely close your door on the relationship. Let him know that you are willing to give the relationship another try, without really looking too needy or desperate.

Getting your ex back takes some work and sometimes some guessing, especially if your boyfriend is not really in the habit of talking about how he feels. If after all your efforts he's not sending out signals that he's interested to rekindle the relationship, then it would be good to back off and let things take their natural course.

I used these steps to gain back my lost love, but they're not really my original ideas. I got some guidance from T 'Dub' Jackson's "The Magic of Making Up" and those steps he wrote on his book really worked for me and my partner. Now we have the best times of our lives together, falling in love more and more with each other everyday.