7 Ways To Maintain Some Of Your Sanity After A Breakup
Whether you saw it coming or not, breaking up with someone is hard – especially if you’re on the receiving end of things. Sure, you can wallow in self-pity for an eternity and heck, for a while you deserve too. But eventually you’ll need to come out from hiding and move on. I have been on the receiving end of a breakup or two and have learnt the hard way that there’s no definite way to the speed up healing process, but I have found a few little tricks that have helped me – and will hopefully help you – overcome the heartache that comes with most breakups.
1. Block Social Media
Stay away from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. They’re all just recipes for disaster. Stalking your ex’s Facebook isn’t going to make you feel any better; he’s still a dick and you’re still very much single. Unless you want to puke from seeing pictures of happy couples being all cute, cuddly and in love, steer clear. It’s only going to make you feel worse about the fact that you’ve just been dumped, and that’s the last thing you need.
2. Wine
Reminiscing through your entire relationship trying to find where it all went wrong is always much easier with a glass – or bottle – of wine. No one wants to wallow in self-pity sober. What fun is that? Especially if you were totally blindsided by this breakup. So bottoms up. But no one likes a depressed drunk so make sure you do this part alone.
3. Chocolate
I know its sound so cliché, but just eat your feelings. You will probably regret it in the morning and will have to walk to work to get rid of all those extra calories you’ve just consumed but you deserve it. No one’s around to judge how many Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups you’ll eat, or how many pints of ice cream you’ll polish off. One of the bonus’ to this breakup is that you have no one to impress anymore. Well, that is until you decide to venture out in to disastrous world of dating again. But you deserve to go into a sugar induced coma for a little while with no judgment.
4. Netflix
You can approach this two different ways. You can either watch Criminal Minds or any other TV series that has an ass kicking strong female lead; ones that can give you hope that you don’t need a man to be fierce, that you can be an independent lady and rule the world. Or, you can watch Grey’s Anatomy and cry your eyes out every single episode because Shonda Land is an emotional rollercoaster which we are not prepared for. #Slexie4Ever.
5. Retail Therapy
Nothing says “I’m trying to survive a breakup” quite like racking up hundreds of dollars of credit card debt. You’ve just spent the last 14 hours loathing in self-pity because you’re heart has just be stomped on and nothing soothes heartache better than online shopping. You’re single and you’ll now need to mingle. That means you need to purchase a new wardrobe – or if you’re slightly more rational, a new outfit.
6. Read
Since your real life relationship was a bust, why not get lost in the wonderful world of fiction? Sure, it gives you false expectations as to what you can look forward to in your next real relationship (I blame Nicholas Sparks for my constant disappointments in mine), but living vicariously through the characters is an easy way to get lost and forget the hurt that’s awaiting you once you put the book down. I recommend anything by Maya Banks.
7. Girlfriends
You always know you can count on the support of your BFF’s. No matter how chaotic their life is at the moment, you can rely on them to help pull you out of your gloomy state. They’ll be right there with you, telling you how much of an asshole he is and how he’ll regret this decision for the rest of his life because no one can compare to you. She will be your shoulder to cry on and your impromptu therapist. Surviving this heartache is almost unimaginable without the love and support of your closest girlfriends.
Although this may seem like it’s the end of the world, in all reality the guy probably did you a favor. Take this time to reflect on yourself, and find what makes truly you happy. It’s time to experience new things. Go on a vacation, skydive, take skill class in something you’ve always wanted to learn, anything you’ve always wanted to do but have never had the time or were afraid. Embrace the single life and go have fun. You’re only young once and there’s no time like the present.