How to Show Someone You Don't Care

Faking It While You're Still Hurting

Take a little time to "let it all out." Right after you get rejected, it can be tough to get a handle on your emotions. If your crush teases you during this time, you may not be able to control your reaction well. Do whatever you need to do (in private) to get over the fact that you were rejected. Cry, kick, scream — get it all out of your system. If your crush has really gotten to you, don't be afraid to talk to your friends or family about how you feel. Your most trusted relations can comfort you and offer helpful advice during this time.

Avoid your crush when you can. When your former crush wants to get a flustered reaction out of you, staying away will deny him or her the satisfaction. Don't go where this person likes to hang out. Don't talk to this person unless you are forced to. You should even avoid your crush's friends — it's impossible to tell whose side they have actually taken. This advice extends to technology. Don't answer your crush's calls or texts. Delete your crush from your social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

Keep your confidence when you do have to interact. Eventually, you may be forced to talk to this person (especially if you share a class or are paired together at work). Ignore him or her until you are spoken to first. When you do have to talk, try to act polite but disinterested. Speak in short, proper sentences (e.g., "Yes, that's good. No, it doesn't matter. OK. Sure.") If your crush teases you, shut him or her down immediately with silence and an icy-cold stare. S/he is trying to get a reaction out of you, so don't allow yourself to become upset or angry.

Keep yourself busy. Don't let yourself wallow in thoughts of what could have been if your crush hadn't ended up being a jerk. Instead, show that you don't care about this person by moving on with your life! Devote yourself to your work or school work. Start a new exercise routine. Take up a new hobby. Try to master an old one. Do something that can heal you. Anything you can do to stay busy will help keep your mind off of your former crush's negativity. Remember: dwelling in the past will only hold you back. If you let yourself do this, you may eventually end up picking up your phone, checking out old pictures, and even getting the urge to text this person. Stay strong — don't go back to a person who's been hurting you.

Resist the urge to get revenge. When someone's been mean to you, it's only natural to want to get even. Unfortunately, if you're trying to prove that you don't care about someone, this is one of the worst things you can do. Lashing out with an angry outburst or plotting an ice-cold revenge scheme may make you feel good in the short term, but they won't help you get over this person in the long term. For this, happily ignoring the person who hurt you is almost always the best revenge. Also, it's wise to remember the old saying, "Don't argue with idiots. From a distance, people can't tell who's who." Trying to get back at an old flame can make you look petty or childish to others. The best course of action? Don't even run this risk.

Getting Over Your Former Crush

Focus on your own value. Once you start to get over the initial pain of rejection, it's time to start moving on. However, you can't do this if you don't believe you're worth it! Start to reaffirm yourself mentally. You can use whatever positive thoughts you want, but the following three work well: You are beautiful/handsome (whichever you prefer). You are intelligent. Your crush is foolish for not accepting you. Never feel like you're weak or helpless without this person. Admire your independence. Putting your former crush on a pedestal diminishes yourself.

Let go of shame. Asking someone out and getting a "no" is bad enough, but when your crush is actually rude back to you, the embarrassment can be almost unbearable. The shame you may feel will gradually start to fade — this will go faster for some people than for others. Don't continue to focus on your negative feelings from the past, replaying them over and over again in your head. Instead, let them go and pursue new, positive emotions instead. Remember that you can never change the past. This means that it's illogical to worry about it. Why worry about what you can't change?

Realize that your crush's "games" are immature. Healthy, mature people don't make fun of the people who have crushes on them after they confess the way they feel. They don't tease them afterward. If your crush did this to you, there is one silver lining: you now know that your crush is an immature, insecure person. It should feel good to know that the person you've been worrying about is definitely at fault.

Don't let your crush back into your life. Over time, you should start to feel better. You should gradually start letting go of the shame and embarrassment from your experience and start focusing more on your own value. However, if your old crush works his or her way back into your life, this person can throw you off the path to recovery. If you can help it, you don't want to talk to him or her before you're 100% better. If s/he tries to get back into your good graces, don't be afraid to ask for some space. If your former crush won't get the message, be direct. It's OK to say, "I don't want to talk to you for a while. Leave me alone."

Start to view your crush as unimportant. Your end goal is for the person who once caused you so much embarrassment and anxiety to become basically unimportant to you. This will take lots of time and patience, but if you follow the instructions above, you should gradually show signs of improvement. Eventually, you will probably find it funny that you once cared so much about this person. When you're ready to leave your former crush behind for good, start looking for someone who respects you and cares for you, rather than someone who will belittle you for the way you feel. Remember: happiness is the best revenge.