We've all experienced it at some point in our lives. Like most people, you probably don't handle breakups well. To help you move on and get back to living your life, we've compiled a list of eight things you can do right now to heal your broken heart and feel better.
According to the family magazine service of Saed News, we've all been there at some point in our lives. Like most people, you probably don't handle breakups very well. You might turn to alcohol or overeating to escape the sadness. Or maybe you blame yourself for everything that happened and can't stop feeling guilty.
To help you move on and get back to living your life, we've compiled a list of eight things you can do right now to heal your broken heart and feel better. So don't waste another second dwelling on the past—take steps to improve your present.
1. Accept Your Feelings
While it's natural to want to forget the past and feel better, there's no need to bottle up your emotions or deny their existence. Part of the healing process is accepting your feelings and allowing yourself to grieve.
This process is especially important if you're ending a long-term relationship. Even if the relationship was full of issues, it's normal to feel like a part of you is missing. It's also important to give yourself space and time to cry. Crying helps release painful emotions, improving your mood and helping you feel better in the long run.
Of course, accepting and moving on doesn't mean that sadness won't occasionally surprise you. This is normal, but remember that staying in mourning for too long can be counterproductive to your healing.
2. Remove Reminders of Your Ex
One of the first things you should do after a breakup is to clear your home or apartment of all reminders of your ex. If you still have their pictures on your phone or sleep in their old jacket, moving on will be difficult. Take the time to remove all these reminders from your home.
This doesn't mean you have to burn their things, throw them out on the street, or sell everything they gave you. But at least gather these items and put them out of sight. If you want, you can return their belongings or donate them to charity.
Be aware that having keepsakes of your ex easily accessible hinders your healing. Do yourself a favor and at least store them away. Also, delete your ex from your social media accounts.
3. Find Closure
Sometimes, cutting off contact with your ex isn't enough to help you forget them and return to your routine. You might need a "closure point" to truly end the relationship.
It's important to reach this point healthily and calmly. Meeting your ex for a coffee chat or gathering as friends under the guise of a final meeting isn't the right way. This only re-establishes contact with your ex in an unhealthy way.
Instead, find other ways to reach this closure point. One solution is to write a letter to your ex, expressing everything you didn't get a chance to say. However, you shouldn't mail this letter or send it to them. The process of pouring out your emotions on paper helps you end the relationship—it's not meant to be sent in hopes that your ex will read it and change their feelings toward you.
4. Make a List of Their Flaws
After a breakup, people often miss many things about their ex. They tend to remember only the good qualities (things they miss) and forget how their ex really was.
This behavior can be detrimental to your healing. Before anything else, remind yourself why you two weren't a good match if you want to move on with your life.
Take some time to list all the things that annoyed you about your ex (both big and small). For instance, if your ex was unfaithful or uninterested in talking about the future, remember these issues and why your relationship never worked out.
5. Take Care of Yourself
The key to healing after a breakup is self-care. Make sure you're eating well, exercising regularly, showering consistently, and getting enough sleep. You can even pamper yourself with a massage, facial, or manicure, especially if it lifts your spirits.
Be careful not to make drastic or sudden changes to your appearance, like dying your hair a strange color or shaving it all off. What seems like a good idea today might be something you regret tomorrow. Instead, focus on things that make you feel better without making irreversible or permanent changes.
You can also try other self-care methods like yoga classes, journaling, or mindfulness exercises. Even small things like reading a good book or ordering from your favorite restaurant can boost your mood. Treat yourself to a new outfit, a new pair of shoes, or something special. Think of things that bring you joy and incorporate them into your life.
6. Connect with Others
Although it might be tempting to lock yourself in your bedroom and wallow in sadness after a breakup, this isn't a healthy reaction.
Instead, set a goal to connect with others. Spend time reaching out to family and friends. Take the initiative to spend time together. Never underestimate the power of laughing and having fun with people who love and support you. This is an excellent way to heal and keep your mind off your ex.
Similarly, talking to supportive people about the breakup can help clear your mind. Ideally, you have a friend or family member you can talk to. If not, consider talking to a counselor. The goal is to process your feelings about the breakup by talking about them and coming to terms with what happened.
Be mindful not to talk excessively about the breakup. Friends and family might get tired of hearing about it. So, try to be a good friend even amidst your breakup crisis.
7. Plan a Solo Adventure
After spending a long time as a couple, learning to be single again can be challenging. Although doing things solo might initially seem daunting, it can be liberating and beneficial.
You don't need to plan a grand adventure—just start planning to spend time alone. This could include a peaceful evening walk in the mountains or a short getaway. The main point is to get used to being alone with yourself. If you struggle with finding ideas, choose something you wanted to do but your ex didn't.
By doing such activities, you'll finally experience something you've always wanted and make up for lost time. Additionally, these activities remind you why you weren't a good match.
8. Accept That It's Over
While it's tempting to hope for your ex to return, the chances are slim. You must accept that the relationship is over and it's time to move on. Otherwise, you'll remain in an endless cycle of waiting, hoping your ex realizes their mistake and wants to get back together, which rarely happens.
Similarly, don't spend too much time analyzing the mistakes you think you made or what you could have done to save the relationship. While it's good to learn from your mistakes, constantly thinking about what you could or should have done keeps you stuck in a vicious cycle. Instead, learn from your relationship and move on. Each step forward brings you closer to healing and forgetting your ex.
Conclusion
Whether you ended the relationship or were blindsided by your partner's request for a breakup, the key is to leave the past behind and move forward. How you do this is entirely up to you. The main thing is to make a continuous effort to move on and forget your ex.
This doesn't mean you'll manage your feelings perfectly every day, but as long as you're determined to make conscious, healthy choices in your life, you'll soon feel better and heal your broken heart.
