Definition: The sudden, crystal-clear mental blueprint revealing exactly how much future misery you just avoided by bailing on a doomed relationship, especially an engagement. It highlights every landmine (abuse, incompatibility, sheer laziness) you narrowly missed, making the escape feel like a tactical win.
It’s often accompanied by the bewildering sight of your ex (and sometimes yourself) effortlessly finding a seemingly perfect upgrade within months, while you or others are still navigating the dating trenches solo, muttering “Where’s my damn upgrade?”
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Example:
Calling off the wedding revealed a tactical win; the crystal-clear blueprint showed the controlling behavior and financial recklessness I narrowly avoided.
Seeing my ex engaged six months later felt surreal, while I’m still slogging through the dating trenches wondering where my effortless upgrade is hiding.