Can I be friends with my new ex?

Has anyone ever been successful at maintaining a friends-only relationship after splitting up with a significant other?

I really want this man to be in my life still but only as friends. We didn’t work as a couple. We expected different things from each other and the relationship and it got to the point where it felt like we were trying to force it to work when we both knew it probably wouldn’t. Besides that we had so much fun together and got along great. It started to feel a little less like a romantic relationship and more like a friendship in the end.

Well we just decided to break up a few days ago after dating for two days short of 1 year. It was a mutual decision in the end (hardest thing I’ve ever done).

I’m having a difficult time here cutting him completely out of my life. We were best friends before we dated and I’d love if we could still be like that. Has anyone ever been successful with continuing a steady friendship with an ex? I don’t want to lose what we had as friends 😭

Also, do you think a guy would be open to that? It would break my heart if he was ok with dropping me completely 💔