Face it, breakups suck. Whether you’re the one doing the breaking or the one being broken up with, we can all agree breakups are not fun for anyone involved. Burying your emotions under countless desserts and distracting yourself from reality seems like the easiest thing to do when you’re upset. Hollywood depicts endless sobbing and binge-eating as the norm after a bad breakup.
As a girl who has had her fair share of breakups, I’ve learned a thing or two. I say screw what the movies say and be in charge of your own breakup. Learn from my heartache(s) and come out on top after your breakup using these tips.
1. Mourn Your Breakup
First things first. You can’t deny your breakup. It’s happened, now what? Cry. Cry as much as you need to. It’s perfectly normal and healthy to let yourself feel your emotions instead of trying to bury it under a pint of gelato. Take as much time as you need to, whether it be two days or two weeks. Everyone mourns in their own way and only you will know when it has been enough time and you’ve mourned your breakup completely.
2. Exercise
It might be the last thing you want to do, but it will help, trust me. Getting your blood pumping and releasing endorphins is the best way to feel better about yourself. Yes, eating a roll of cookie dough makes you feel good in the moment, but ultimately working out will be best for your emotional and physical health.
3. Try Something New
Be impulsive. Do something crazy. Don’t think twice about it, just do it. When I got my heart broken, I felt numb inside. I was unable to move on and nothing made me feel better. That’s when I saw a video of skydiving, and before I could question what I was doing I was putting a nonrefundable deposit down for a skydiving lesson for that weekend.
I told a few friends about my plan, but left my mom and dad out of the loop so no one would try to convince me not to do it. There was something therapeutic about my spontaneous decision that aided me in getting over my heartbreak. Even better, I crossed something off my bucket list and I realized that there was more to life than a boy.
4. Volunteer
One of the best ways to avoid stalking your ex on Instagram is to keep yourself busy. So why not help yourself for a good cause? Whether it’s animals or children, pick a cause you are passionate about and go all out for it.
5. Reinvent Yourself
My favorite thing to do after a breakup—a makeover. In the beginning of a relationship you’re obviously always looking your best. However, the longer the relationship gets, the more comfortable and complacent one gets. Breakups are the perfect reason to splurge. Go get that new shirt that costs a little too much or get your hair done—when you look good, you feel good.
6. Do You
Breakups can sometimes be blessings in disguise. For some reason, this person was not the one for you. If you were dumped out of the blue, you might have been blind to the signs of an unhealthy relationship. I always try to find the light in a dark situation (I promise you there is some light in all heartbreak). But most of all, you don’t need somebody else to validate your self-worth.
This is the time for you to do you. Go out with your girls or your bros because you deserve it. Work on your relationships in other aspects of life. Work on being a better version of yourself because let’s be honest, we all have room to grow.
Allow yourself to be emotional, take care of yourself, challenge yourself, give back and live life on your terms. Ultimately this will make you a happier person and create the best version of yourself. Like I said, there’s always light in a dark situation.