Let your date know you appreciate them being real (even if you already started a Pinterest board for your imagined shabby-chic barn wedding). When you’re figuring out how to respond to a rejection text, Ouimet says you want to keep it minimal. “You want short and simple, like ‘hey, got it, no worries,’” she tells Bustle.

Based on Ouimet’s advice, go ahead and tell them “no worries” verbatim. Let them know that it’s totally cool, no problem. Ouimet says something short but kind will do the trick to not look too needy, desperate, or offended by it.

Again, make sure to show your appreciation, but let them know it’s all good and you’re not upset. Rather than sending a long, drawn-out reply, you want to relay the message of something like, “it’s good... I’m good, don’t worry about it, it was nice meeting you,” Ouimet suggests.

Golden says that a "rejection text" is less about someone personally dismissing you and more about two people who want incompatible things. Thanking them for being transparent lets you both walk away with your heads high.

Although you may feel an impulse to beg them to reconsider, Golden suggests keeping it concise. "There's no need to say, ‘If you ever change their mind,'" Golden says. "They know where to find you."

Perhaps the only thing worse than getting rejected is having to reject someone. Acknowledging that "rejection texts" are sucky for all parties is a major power move. Let them know you’re grateful for the honesty and appreciate them as well, because unfortunately, a lot of people would not have afforded you that courtesy.

If you and your date had a friendly rapport, you might be tempted to send over the shallot pasta recipe or online yoga class you talked about on your date — but in most cases, leaving out all the unnecessary details is best. “I would tell my clients, ‘Hey, if she just dumped you, you don’t need to keep giving,’” Ouimet says. You do you, of course, but don’t feel the need to provide them more insight into your life.

As much as you might be tempted to ask if you can still be friends, Ouimet says she would never recommend a client to send that message. Instead, something like “don’t be a stranger” sends the same friendly idea without putting pressure on them. “Because then you’re playing coy, right? You’re just throwing it out there,” Ouimet says.

Although you may be completely smitten, Golden says that you don't really know this person too well after a couple of dates. You're probably more upset about the loss of potential romance than losing this specific person. This is fair — a loss is still a loss, and you can’t help but wonder “what if.”

Let them know that they don't need to stress. You're just not a fit. Keep it short and simple but friendly to end things on amicable terms. A “wishing you the best” is one of the best ways to close out these kinds of texts, according to Ouimet.

They could have very easily ghosted you. A "rejection text" is better than no text at all. "Be thankful that this person had the manners not to ghost," Golden says. In return, you can show them gratitude and not ghost their rejection text.

If you and your date just spent four hours making out and talking about cute dates to go on in the future, getting a rejection text may feel awful and confusing. But as Golden explains, your date calling it off is ultimately saving you from further mixed messages and shadiness. "The ambiguity of not knowing the post-date status and the wasted brain space on assessing the possible status is worse than the sting of the rejection," Golden says.

If your date is in your friend group or if you're going to be seeing them around, letting them know it doesn't have to be weird can take a weight off both of you. This is the perfect text to send if you’re going to run into them soon and want to make things the least awkward possible — but is still a far cry from the dreaded “Can we stay friends?” text.

"Dating feedback is helpful," Golden says. "It can reveal blind spots or validate that you’re doing everything right." Although it may feel a little daunting to ask your date for an Uber rating, Golden says that asking past dates about your dating style can give you some extra insight.

If you’re going to go for it and ask why you weren’t a match, Ouimet says you’ll need to buckle down and be prepared, because you might be about to hear some negative feedback. “Be ready to receive negative criticism, and be open to receiving that and know that you requested this,” she warns.

Don't let those toxic-positivity inspirational memes fool you, you don't have to be happy you got rejected. Address that you're bummed and wish your date the best moving forward. Just be careful not to oversell your disappointment — you’re not trying to guilt trip them for a lack of connection. It’s no one’s fault.

“At the end of the day, you want to thank them, you want them to know that you appreciate it, and you want to let them know that there’s no bad vibes,” Ouimet says of her texting “formula.” “You thank them, you appreciate them, then you wish them the best.”