The process of ending a relationship is never easy. The emotional toll on both parties is going to be much higher when they have been together for many years. With that said, there is always someone in the relationship who has a harder time letting go of their ex-partner and they cling to something that is no longer there.
The bat way to get over your ex in order to start dating again is to learn to practice the no contact method. You need to spend no less than 30 days without contacting your ex and this is going to give you time to evaluate your feelings. If you still feel like you are clinging, you have to turn that into 3 months of no contact.
The best thing about this process is that you will experience a natural emotional detachment process and this will allow you to think with a cool head and see if your reasons to want to be with your ex are valid. With that said, it is likely that you won’t even care to keep considering this after you have been away from your ex for a period of time.