Breaking up is never fun, and oftentimes it can seem like your whole world has ended.
It doesn’t matter if you are the one who has been dumped, or if you are the one who did the dumping, the pain you go through is difficult no matter what.
Most of us tend to stop living our usual lives after a breakup, and we end up just sulking and feeling sorry for ourselves.
But instead of giving in to your emotions, and walking around feeling sorry for yourself, you should embrace the ‘new’ you and look at all the positives that come out of being newly single.
1. Workout
Remember the time before you were in a relationship? Remember the single you that existed before you started dating what’s-his-face? You were proactive about keeping up your appearance because you wanted potential suitors to find you attractive.
When you finally got into a relationship, you got comfortable, started ordering more pizza in, cuddling on the couch, and slowly your workouts became less important. We’ve all been there.
But now you’re single again and it’s time for you to stop feeling sorry for yourself! Start being the best version of you there is. Go to the gym, go for a walk outside, figure out how to do Kanye’s Workout Plan. Just get back on your feet and get fit!
2. Allow yourself one, and only one, good cry
If you must dwell and sulk and have the pity party you obviously want to throw for yourself, fine. But, you only get to throw yourself one pity party! That’s it! So if you must, then take time to have one really good, deep, passionate cry.
Let those waterworks roll down your face, cry so hard you clog your nose and it gets all snotty and disgusting. Be sure to play sad songs from Adele or Sia, watch ‘The First Wives Club’ while eating a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream, and enjoy.
Roll around in all those deep emotions. Okay? And once you’ve cried all you can cry, once you’ve shed all the tears your little pitiful self can shed, get your booty up, go into your bathroom, turn on the hot water, and take a shower or bubble bath immediately.
3. Try something new
Have you always wanted to try a pottery class? Have you been thinking about joining an art class? Have your thought of trying hot yoga because you saw a flyer about it posted downtown? It doesn’t matter if you only know how to draw a stick figure, or can’t even touch your toes. Take your best friend with you if you must, whatever it takes to get you out your door and into the world, go for it.
It might be intimidating, but it will also be relaxing. It’ll be a learning curve. You’ll meet new people, and you’ll surprise yourself in ways you probably didn’t even know you could. Chop chop, time is a wasting.
5. Travel
Traveling is therapeutic! It’s exciting, and it’s also a great way to be reminded of all the great things life has to offer, instead of you wasting yours feeling sorry for yourself because some dude broke up with you. If you’ve always wanted to drive across the country, or travel to Europe, or go on a safari in Africa, there is no better time like the present.
Stop thinking that your life is ending, that you’ll never find someone or that you’ll never get married. Go and remind yourself of what real problems actually are. Look at the real problems people face, like not having clean drinking water or food on the table or a roof over their heads. Traveling will help clear and rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul.
6. Crtl+A, then delete
You probably won’t like this one, but you must delete your ex from all your social media accounts. All those late night stalking sessions you’ve been doing, reading comments people are writing on your ex’s wall, or seeing what pictures he or she’s getting tagged in… None of it is healthy. In fact, it’s borderline stalkerish.
I know it might seem like you will be forever disconnected from your ex’s world, and that you don’t know how you can survive, but I promise once you start deleting, you won’t even think twice about checking your ex’s profile. You won’t have to go through the second heartache of knowing that your ex has moved on and is in a new relationship. Save that knowledge for when you’re so over your ex that seeing that familiar smirk won’t do anything to your emotions.
7. Dear diary
If you have so many feelings and thoughts about your ex, grab your old pen and paper, and start writing your feelings down. This doesn’t mean you have to write a Jane Austen novel, but it helps when you can reflect on how you felt at a certain time in your life. Also, when you finally get over your ex, one day you’ll find yourself pulling your diary out of the dusty shelf, and reading what you wrote.
