Leaving behind a toxic lover is no easy task.
So, the first thing you must do after you exit such a relationship is to simply pat yourself on the back and hold your head up high.
Whether you’ve suffered emotional abusive, physical violence or even a partner who constantly gaslights you, you should know that you deserve better.
While the road to recovery and healing your heart may be a long one, it is an important step.
Take a look at a few ways to rebuild your self-esteem after you exit an abusive relationship.
- Accept that the relationship was not your fault and forgive yourself for letting someone treat you poorly. Be kind to yourself and do not belittle yourself for your choices.
- Take up a new hobby where you can craft something tangible and gauge your progress. Be it pottery, painting or even sculpture making; seeing tangible results from your perseverance can give you the validation and satisfaction you need from learning a new skill.
- Give your mutual friends some space and reconnect with childhood pals of yours who knew the old you who was more confident and outgoing.
- It can be helpful to aid another individual with tasks. Be it kind advice to someone who is just starting out in their career, giving cooking lessons to a teenager or even lending a kind ear to someone dealing with emotional baggage. This would also rebuild your self-confidence as someone who can actively contribute to society.
- Rediscover activities you pursued during childhood that gave you joy. Be it cycling off for a picnic, reading a romance novel, flying a kite or even star gazing. Do these again to reclaim your self-esteem.
Don’t push yourself to do anything, take the time to relax and feel safe after being in an abusive relationship knowing that things will only get better.
