As easy as it may be to utter the words "forgive and forget," actually accomplishing this—especially when it comes to your former relationships—is an entirely different thing. It's possible that the pain is still there, and, sometimes, no amount of bonding with your friends or retail therapy can erase the hurt your ex has caused you.

Eventually, however, you will have to forgive him, not because you owe it to him, but because you owe it to yourself. After all, how do you expect your future relationships to work if you can't even let go of the past? To help you out when the time does come for you to forgive your former flame, here are a few tips to guide you.

(Originally published as "On the Mark Anthony-Claudine Reunion: How to Forgive an Old Flame" on Female Network; photo from 500 Days of Summer courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures)