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!
I think my pet already knows whenever my man and I would be arguing. Sherry, my maltese already knows that she needs to snuggle with me whenever I’m feeling out of it. Now that we’ve broken up, she’s been following me all day long just to make sure I was okay.
My dog is also like that. They’re very sensitive creatures.
I’ve heard that traveling solo is the best thing ever, but I don’t think I’m brave enough just yet.
The usual issue that women encounter after a breakup is that they coop up at home and wallow in the fact that they’re single with a tub of ice cream on their laps. Actually, it’s such a fun thing that needs to be celebrated. It’s true that you need to travel more and embrace that wanderlust. Never ever stay indoors and not take care of yourself. Girl, that can give you wrinkles and premature aging. Instead, you should be twice as meticulous about your skincare, travel itineraries and hobbies. Be prettier than ever! Let that ex of yours drool over at how lovely you are.
Break ups suck. But the moments after are simply liberating. Bad relationships end for a reason.?
Thanks for the tips here, I really need this right now. It’s been a week since my breakup and I’m just sitting here trying to cope.
Feel better soon and follow the tips!
One thing I learned about break ups is that normal people don’t go breaking other people. That it’s not my fault on why my man cheated on me. Sure, there could be a fault on my part and on his part, but the decision to cheat is primarily his. Relationship problems are meant to be solved by the two people involved, so if there are third parties, the one who cheated is the one to be blamed. I think the main reason why most women can’t get over breakups is that they blame themselves. They start to feel like they’re not enough, when in fact, they were. HE JUST COULDN’T SEE IT.
Please don’t make yourself fat and ugly just because someone broke up with you. Instead, be the opposite.
Most of us reading this are too young to be too sad about one guy who doesn’t deserve us! Keep your head up high girls!
“Let crazy be crazy and stay far, far away.” This had me in stitches.? But seriously, this is so so true. Ladies, we should stop trying to figure out “Why” we got cheated on because there will be endless possibilities. There would be “rational” reasons and “irrational” reasons and it will drive us insane just by trying to decode his actions. In reality, even the stupidest of reasons could lead him to cheat. There would even be times that it’s not even our fault for why he did it. Sometimes it’s just because he couldn’t keep his dong inside his pants and there aren’t any other reasons involved. Men are like that and even women are like that too sometimes. Stop overthinking and just by the fact that he cheated, he doesn’t deserve a spot in your thoughts!
True! They don’t deserve a spot in our thoughts!
It took me forever to realize I was worth more than the person he thought I was.?
Hi, please don’t ever think that how people treat you equals to your worth. Others just suck at appreciating other people. But that doesn’t mean that you mean less.?