No matter how short or long you’ve dated, breaking up is tough. One day you can’t take your eyes off each other; but the next thing you know, he never wants to see you again. Pretty intense, right?
Losing a relationship can turn your whole world upside down and bring you unimaginable heartaches. But fret not. If ever you find yourself dealing with some painful heartbreak, there are plenty of things you can do to get through it. The pain dulls in time, and before you know it – you are moving on with your life.
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Here are some 10 effective ways to handle a break up:
- Cry it out. Many of us keep the pain when we’re going through a tough situation. Remember, breakups are painful. There’s no way you can move on if you don’t let yourself grieve. The first step is to always let yourself feel it. It doesn’t matter if you want to cry all day. Just let the tears flow, because it’s the only way to release the pain.
- Reach out for support. Having someone beside you while going through this process is a great help, especially if those people have already been in a painful breakup before. They understand how you feel and can help you in the process of healing; don’t push them away. Doing it on your own usually makes the situation difficult and harder.
- Throw away memory triggers. There are probably things around your room that remind you of him — throw them away for your sake. These “reminders” can be CDs, pictures, clothing, knick-knacks, etc. Constantly thinking about him will not help you in the healing process. Even if it means deleting his number and not checking his Facebook wall, do so. Put every reminder far away from you and get him out of your mind.
- Take care of yourself. A major break up can make us physically and emotionally vulnerable. This is the reason why heartbroken people tend to ignore their health. Either they lose their appetite or result to emotional eating. Thus, losing or gaining excess weight, and not feeling good about themselves. You can deal with this setback by exercising regularly. Once you take hold of their weight and overall health, you start feeling good about yourself. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, enjoy the outdoors, and make positive choices going forward.
- Get a makeover. Even if you’re not yet ready to date again, getting a makeover can make you feel better. Other women even go for a total revamping of their physical image. Some even shave their head – a significant act that shows a total change as a person. Depending on how you want your makeover to be, and what it means to you, a makeover is a simple way of showing the world that you are a new person – wiser and stronger after a heartbreak.
- Do things you love. Often, people in a relationship tend to forget to do the things they personally love. Now that you are not together, you can start getting your life back by enjoying yourself and start doing the things that make you smile. Whether it’s a simple coffee date with a friend or a little walk at the park – make an effort to do it.
- Try something new. If there’s another thing that will help you handle a break up is to explore other opportunities. Get out and try something you’ve never done before! Want to travel to the other side of the city? Want to try mountain climbing? Want to sign up for that cooking class? Now is the best time to do all that! The sense of enjoyment you’ll feel from those new experiences will help divert your attention from that excruciating pain you are going through.
- Meet new friends. Getting involved with activities and meeting new people can help relieve the pain. Join a special interest club, participate in a specific class, join a volunteer group, go to sports events, and get involved in the community. Sure, you might feel like being alone, but getting support from others and starting to live a life without him is a better move.
- Look at the beauty of life. Up to this moment, you may still have trouble remembering the things you appreciate because your mind is clouded with negative thoughts. But try to change your thoughts and focus on the positive ones. Listing all the things that you’re thankful for can be of much help. When you do this, you’ll realize that your world is beautiful even without him.
- Let him go and forgive. Healing is a process; it doesn’t happen overnight. But there’s a way to get it over easier and faster, and that’s letting go and forgiving. I know this may seem difficult, but it can be done. When you let go, you’re also releasing yourself from that prison of pain and telling yourself that you’re ready to be happy again.
Admittedly, life is tough. But remember, everything happens with a valid and good reason behind it. If you are willing and ready to move on, you’ll realize that going through a painful heartbreak provides you with a lot of good things that you can use in life.
Do you find these tips on how to handle a break up helpful? Let us know in the comments below!