It's not startling to learn that more than fifty percent of men involved in breakups want their girlfriends back. Instead of thinking it over and making a comprehensive plan to get their girlfriends back, though, too many men say or do foolish things on the spur of the moment that actually frighten their girlfriends, driving them further away. You can learn from what they did wrong. If you're serious - really serious - about getting her back, try these special tried and true techniques.

These five strategies have been tried and they work:

1. Be subtle and let her ask to reconcile

It's critical to keep in mind this important point - for a reconciled relationship to work, the person who walked out must be the one to propose getting back together. If you propose getting back together and she accepts, the new relationship will be totally on her terms and you'll feel absolutely worthless.

2. Avoid appearing weak, indecisive or unsure of yourself.

Believe it or not, romantic relationships are similar to business relationships - in order for the relationship to survive, each partner must live up to his or her expectations. When getting back together, there's often a discussion when the expectations and obligations are thoroughly explored and allotted. When you project an image of strength, you'll actually be stronger, and her negotiating posture will also be affected. Don't think of this as a fight, or a confrontation - it's simply two people in love letting each other know what they expect from a relationship. The better prepared you are, the stronger you are, the better your ability both to put forth your case forcefully and to assure her that in getting back together with you, she's getting the benefit of having such a strong man looking out for her interests. So projecting an image of strength, poise and confidence not only helps you negotiate a relationship of equals, it also enhances her feeling of security.

3. You've got plenty of spare time - use it productively!

It's very true that, as they say, the idle mind is the devil's playground. After a breakup, this means that your head will be filled with all sorts of thoughts of her and the relationship, thoughts that can lead you to foolish and perhaps dangerous actions. Do something meaningful with your spare time - and that doesn't mean watch television. Investigate different hobbies that have interested you, read the books you've been meaning to get around to. Join a club devoted to something you care about. You'll benefit in many ways, but chief among the benefits is that you won't have much time to think about her. It's easy - just add some new things to your life - they'll make you a more interesting person even if you don't rescue your relationship.

4. Fight off the green-eyed monster.

Jealousy is a particularly destructive emotion that can actually lead people to murder - all the more reason for resisting the temptation to entertain the thoughts that make you jealous. Here's what'll happen if you allow jealousy into your heart - you'll bump into her one day when she's with another man, and you'll say or do something stupid, leading her to the realization that breaking up with you was a really smart thing to do.

5. A smile is infectious

Face it - we all want to be happy, and we're attracted to people who appear happy. If you had to choose between talking to someone who's telling funny stories about his school, or someone who's telling sad stories about how his relationship failed, which one will you likely talk to? Not only will other people notice your positive outlook, she'll see it as well and she'll want to spend more time with you, being impressed with how you could be so strong after your breakup as to maintain a positive attitude. This is the time to let her know how much you've missed her and how much you love her. This is the time when making up starts!

Author's Bio: 

Steve Steiner enjoys helping men deal with the conflicts and challenges they experience in relating with women and helping them form successful relationships.

If you found this article helpful and you'd like to learn other ways to get your girlfriend back, check out Getting Girlfriend Back and Win Your Girlfriend Back.