Breakups hurt in so many ways for both people involved – two lives once conjoined literally become severed, in both physical and mental aspects. Many people don’t know how to release feelings and cope after a breakup, and reach for substances such as drugs, food or alcohol to fill the void. Even though a broken heart takes time to mend, however, covering up the pain with numbing agents will only make the feelings worse once you come down from the high. You CAN get through this difficult time in your life in healthier ways, and we’re here to show you how. We sincerely wish you the best and hope your heart heals quickly and fully.
6 Ways To Heal After A Breakup
1. Take the opportunity to practice more self-love.
In relationships, we tend to put ourselves second and cater to our partner’s needs above our own. We love our significant other with all our heart but forget to show ourselves the same love back. Now that you’re newly single, use the opportunity to learn what you love doing and who you really are. Fall in love with life all over again by discovering things about yourself you never knew before. Go deep within and find what makes your heart soar, and then follow that inner guidance. Maybe what you need is a long solo backpacking trip to find yourself all over again. If that’s what your heart wants, follow it. It won’t steer you wrong.
“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they’re right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself. And sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”- Marilyn Monroe
2. Keep busy.
They say an idle mind attracts demons, and they can strike when you least expect it. Your mind can be your worst enemy if you allow it, and having too much free time will certainly leave the door open for negativity and self-loathing. However, keeping a busy schedule will make sure that you don’t spend all your time dwelling on the past and wondering what you could’ve done differently or how you could’ve saved the relationship. You might want to revisit the relationship again someday, but for now, allow you and your ex to heal. Find purpose in your job, family, or friends, and don’t get wrapped up in negative thoughts about the relationship.
3. Learn to feel all your emotions.
Covering up your emotions with pills, alcohol, or food will only mask your feelings and prolong the pain. Allow yourself to go through the healing process, and realize that grieving is a stepping stone to healing. You must get through the dark nights if you want to see the stars shining, so remember that as you’re reaching for the bottle or driving to the nearest fast food joint. It can be very tempting to forget about the pain and escape into a world of numbness, but it won’t do you any good in the long term. Allow your emotions to come and go, and accept them rather than fight them. Then you’ll see that they don’t have as much control over you as you thought.
4. Lean on friends and family for support.
5. Move your body.
Exercise has a mountain of benefits, and one of those is helping you get over your ex.
“Wait, whaaaa? How does sweating my butt off help me mend a broken heart?”
Well, for starters, it takes the attention off your breakup and onto something else. It allows you to have goals and get into a flow state where nothing else matters but lifting those weights and getting through that last rep. It releases feel-good hormones that will lift your spirits and make you feel like you’re on top of the world instead of down in the dumps. So, when you feel like you’re in the bottom of hell, go down to your nearest fitness club and get a membership. You can focus on bettering yourself and taking care of #1 rather than someone else for a change.
6. Volunteer.
It’s no secret that taking the attention off yourself and your problems and putting it on others with (probably) far more problems helps immensely with emotional pain. You’re helping someone else better their life while spending an hour or two not thinking about the recent heartbreak in yours – win-win, right? That’s not to say that your feelings don’t matter, because they certainly do, but it’s important to zone out from them sometimes. Plus, seeing a smile on someone else’s face because of the help you’ve given them will make a lasting impact on you and help you see that life is full of beauty, even in the midst of pain.
You might see a breakup as the end of the world, but don’t look at it that way. Instead, think of it as a new beginning – an opportunity for something better down the road. Be thankful for your experiences and memories with your ex, but also allow yourself to remain open (in due time) to other people somewhere down the road. They say when one door closes, another one opens, so make sure to keep following your path, and you’ll eventually find the door you’re meant to open.
