Youre dating someone new whos great, by the way but thoughts of your ex keep popping up. Try as you might to move on, memories of this person continue to resurface and youre wondering what it means.

If this sounds familiar, take heart in knowing that thinking about an ex, even while youre in another relationship, is a pretty universal experience.

Each relationship impacts us in both big and small ways, and we carry those changes with us as we move forward in life and relationships, therapist Nicole Saunders , owner of Therapy Charlotte in North Carolina, told HuffPost. Its also very normal for our present experiences to trigger memories of the past. For example, if your current partner loves breakfast in bed and that was a ritual you had with your ex, those memories are naturally going to resurface.

Plus, an ex is a person who was, or is, important to you. So its understandable that theyd still be on your mind.

Its not uncommon to think about people we care about, Toronto-based relationship expert and sexologist Jess OReilly, host of the Sex With Dr. Jess podcast, told HuffPost. And caring doesnt necessarily end when a relationship ends, evolves or shifts to a new format.

Not to mention, we live in a world where its easier than ever to keep digital tabs on an ex, from watching their Instagram stories to seeing their Venmo charges, so its no surprise that you may find yourself thinking about them or even missing them, said OReilly.