Here is the truth: your breakup does not define you, and your value does not come from being in a relationship. Despite that, part of your life is now missing, and you are at a crossroads. Do you choose to wallow in sadness, or will you use the relationship to help you grow and move on? If moving on is your choice, congratulations on a wise decision. Here are four ways to help you bounce back in style.
1. Perk Up Your Smile
You may not be smiling as much right after the breakup, but that will change. When it does, wouldn’t you love to have a smile that not only brightens your face but takes years off as well? Post-breakup is the perfect time to treat yourself to the best teeth whitening you can find. Even a little change like this can tell the world that you are on the mend!
2. Get Fit
If you and your ex weren’t workout fiends, or perhaps fell into the trap that many couples do of gaining weight together, it’s time to bounce back from your breakup by hitting the gym. If you don’t have any idea where to start, hire a personal trainer. Working out will not only improve your body but will also produce endorphins capable of improving your mental health and making you more upbeat and focused on a positive future. A personal trainer can also help you keep your eating on track during a time when it is easy to binge on comfort foods.
3. Ditch Your Ex’s Contact Information
Chances are you don’t truly need anything from your ex right after a breakup that cannot either wait or be handled through intermediaries. This means you don’t need their contact information nor any social media connections. The healthiest thing to do when a relationship ends is to cut ties: delete phone numbers and remove them from your online world. Nothing good will come of contacting them or seeing what they are up to without you. This way, should you have a bad evening, you can’t text, call or otherwise contact your ex because they won’t exist in your phone. If you’re holding onto hope that you will stay friends, be honest with yourself about why this idea is desirable.
4. Grieve Your Loss
One big part of bouncing back from a breakup involves addressing the internal issues that arise when a relationship ends. If you genuinely want to move on, you need to grieve your loss. If you do not, you may find yourself stuck in a variety of negative emotions, feeling hopeless and lost as the days wear on. Or you may be tempted to turn to substances in an effort to avoid the pain. Though it seems like the harder path initially, it’s worth going deep and allowing your grief to clarify things for you. Ask yourself questions like: what did you like about this relationship? What didn’t you like? Did you like who you were as a participant in it, and if not, how can you change that in the future?
The end of your relationship does not have to be the end of you. Your future is still bright! Bounce back by investing in yourself both physically and mentally. Prove to the person you see in the mirror that you are getting better by perking up your smile and pursuing fitness. Do the hard emotional work of cutting ties with your ex and grieving your loss. Pushing yourself to make these changes instead of wallowing in sadness will create the path to a positive post-breakup existence.
