When I caught my last boyfriend cheating on me (with a Hooters waitress, no less!), I was crushed. How could he do this? Doesn’t he value my feelings more than a tawdry fling with some tramp? Clearly not. What a dolt. Anyhow, I soon learned that there’s no sense trying to make sense of crazy. Let crazy be crazy and stay far, far away.
I didn’t come to that conclusion quickly though. After that breakup, I stayed indoors for way too long wondering about my own worth in the eyes of men. What a waste of time. Now, I know that enduring a breakup or divorce can obviously be an incredibly emotional and exasperating time. Whether you’ve parted with a partner of several years or several months, it’s likely you’ve been feeling blue and rather uninspired.
Though it can hard to accept that one chapter of your life has come to a close, remember that new and exciting times await you. Take control of your story and reinvent yourself post-breakup by revisiting an old hobby, signing up for a language class, or exploring an extreme sport. Whatever your interests, get out there and celebrate them.
To help embrace your newfound freedom, he’s a list of activities that helped me get back out there and seize the day:
Embrace Your Inner Wanderlust
Now that you have the opportunity to create your own itinerary, it’s time you embrace your inner wanderlust. Whether you plan to travel solo, or you’ve corralled the ladies for an adventurous road trip. Whip out that travel bucket list you’ve been neglecting and get ready to start crossing off some destinations. Another way to see the sites while also saving money is to embark on a solo cruise. The coordinated stops of cruise lines offer a wide variety of ambiances and experiences — from exploration to romance, rest and relaxation. Ask yourself what you’re hoping to achieve by traveling, be it enrichment, education or just simply adventure.
Foster Your Friendships
Beat the loneliness and fill that hole you feel by spending time with your best friends. There are plenty of scientific studies showing that being around close friends not only makes people happy, but is the key to living a long and healthy life. And who better than your bestie to tell you that he wasn’t worth your time in the first place? Deep down you always knew you were too good for him — why not surround yourself with others who agree with you?
Nature’s Healing Powers
There’s no time like the present to take up an outdoor hobby. Take advantage of the natural healing properties of gardening, which can lower depression and improve mood and balance. If you’re looking for something with a bit more punch, learn about your local water sports. Paddle boarding, kayaking, and jet skiing are all exciting ways to embrace the outdoors. If you’d rather stick to land, map out some of your city’s popular hiking trails. Not only does this activity offer fresh air and scenic views, it also inspires heart-pumping exercise and increases your body’s production of endorphins, the feel good chemical. You could also try checking out some exercise-related meetups or local events.
Become a Foster Mom
If you’re feeling lonely and in need of a loving companion, get involved with your local animal shelter and become a foster mom. All over the country, thousands of dogs and cats are desperate for homes and affection. Give back to your community and make a difference by taking in a temporary pet. You’ll appreciate the distraction from your worries and you’ll feel good knowing you’re helping an otherwise homeless, lonely pet. Who knows, your temporary arrangement could prove to be a lasting friendship!
Find Your Center
Sometimes what you really need after a breakup is some quiet time to heal and regroup. Perhaps now is your chance to explore an alternative career trajectory, or consider relocating to a new part of town or even a new state. Use this time to pinpoint all the things you want out of life, and then create a game plan.
Another way to get centered is to take up yoga and master the art of meditation. Not only can meditation help to you to get happy again, but both yoga and meditation help to manage stress and weight gain. Sounds like a win-win to me!
Cry your eyes out if you feel like it. Crying can actually be therapeutic when you’re upset. It can reduce feeling of stress, anxiety and anger. So go ahead, grab some tissues, and wail your heart out if it helps. ? ?
There’s no easy way to explain the emotional side effects of a breakup, just like there’s no easy way to actually go through a breakup in the first place.
I learned a lot from this article. I just broke up with my boyfriend for 4 yrs. I still need to acknowledge the pain and hurt. When you let yourself grieve, you give to yourself the gift of tenderness.
Moving on cannot be rushed, previous stages must be walked through but it’s nice to put icing on the cake when you’re ready. You’ll know when you are.
People have different ways of coping, you can get as much advice as you can from different people but it is up to you if you’re going to listen to it or not.
You can also switch up your routine… Try a different coffee shop, grocery store or route to work.
When I go through a breakup, I always end up feeling sad and alone, as if I’m missing an important part of myself.
Losing a significant relationship in life is never easy, especially after you and your former partner walked a journey together.
Just let it out. Don’t pretend you’re fine. Denying or minimizing your emotions -like telling yourself , ” I’m really fine” or ” It’s no big deal”- will actually make them worse in the long run. You have to process how you’re feeling so you can move past it.
Wonderful article!
Stop checking/ stalking on their social media accounts. You don’t need to torture yourself by watching their every move. Doing so keeps yuo stuck in the past.
Easy for you to say but hard to do. ?
For you to stay happy and healthy after a breakup, you must stop stalking. Remember this, what you don’t know won’t hurt you.
It’s really hard to stay happy and healthy after a breakup. ?
If you wanna be happy again after a breakup, try spending more time with your loved ones. Your family won’t be around forever, for this reason use your loneliness as a motivation to value your loved ones.
After a bad breakup, people go one way or the other. They binge eat or don’t eat at all. (I’m in the latter group, thankfully.) If you want to stay healthy, focus on bettering yourself.