Advice For Breakup Posted byMiss Date Doctor July 23, 2022 Table of Contents hide 1 Advice For Breakup 1.1 How Do I Advice Someone After A Breakup? 1.2 What Are The 5 Stages Of A Breakup? 1.3 What Should You Not Do After A Breakup? 1.4 How Do You Survive A Breakup If You Are Still In Love? 1.5 Break Up Advice Quotes 1.6 Break Up Advice For Guys 1.7 How To Deal With A Breakup When You Still Love Them 1.8 Breakup Advice For Best Friend 1.9 Breakup Advice For The Dumper 1.10 Things Not To Do After A Breakup 1.11 How To Break Up With Someone 1.12 Sudden Break Up A Long-Term Relationship 1.12.1 Advice For Breakup Conclusion 1.13 Further reading Advice For Breakup Advice For Breakup. Nothing plunges your self-esteem into a pit of despair quite like a bad breakup. Romantic comedy movies and sitcoms would have us believe the process is simple: Turn on a marathon of sad movies in your coziest pajamas, sob into a pint of ice cream for a few days straight and poof! Montage over, you’re a brand new you and out to take on the world. But in reality, once you’ve hit rocky road bottom, you may find yourself slipping into self-destructive habits — ignoring your friends, neglecting your work, and generally forgetting about self-care. You’ve been told all your life that there are more fish in the sea (just open your dating app of choice and there they are), but why is it just so hard to bring yourself to cast a new net already? Rebuild your self-esteem If your partner initiated the break-up, it’s perfectly normal to start picking apart your physical appearance and personality traits, questioning what’s wrong with you that would cause someone to fall out of love. Instead, reverse that thought pattern. Focus on what you value in yourself and what you brought to the relationship, rather than what qualities you don’t possess. Write a list and think of traits that speak to your character, emotional strengths, skillsets, abilities, and any other quality that has value in a relationship. If you’re having a hard time coming up with ideas, tap your closest friends and family, who would jump at the chance to share all the reasons they feel fortunate to have you in their lives. Try three new places Once a week, find a coffee shop or a restaurant you’ve never been to and invite at least one friend to go with you. That helps you break up your usual routine and get away from the places that you’d always go to with your former partner. Bonus: You’re less likely to get bowled over by painful memories and it’s also an opportunity to spend quality time with good friends you may not have seen as much while you were paired off. Avoid going after a rebound Advice For Breakup. There’s a reason why they’re a cliche: rebounds offer a quick boost that’ll make you feel sexy or worthwhile, temporarily. But once that high wears off, you may just feel guilty. A lot of our clients express remorse after a rebound because their investment was superficial while other people put their feelings on the line. When you make impulsive decisions, like jumping headfirst into another relationship, it means you’re trying to find a way to avoid feeling those painful emotions that come with losing someone you loved. Acknowledge the hurt and understand that being a responsible person means dealing with it. Be willing to go into the pain. Take a realistic walk down memory lane When your mind eventually wanders and you start reminiscing about all the good times you two had, you’re likely forgetting to factor in the bad parts. (You know, the petty fights, lifestyle differences, and pointless squabbles that characterize every relationship). Your first thought may be ‘Oh, that vacation was so perfect.’ Advice For Breakup. Remind yourself of how you two didn’t speak for 24 hours because you argued on the plane ride there. Remind yourself that you would start every trip so anxious because your partner never got to the airport on time. In other words, make it a point to introduce the negative stuff, because your mind will only reinforce the positive. Keep the picture real.” Remembering what the whole relationship was really like can help you seek a new situation that doesn’t have the same downsides. Write down all of their negative qualities Mom told you if you don’t have anything nice to say then … well, you know the rest. But we know she’d make an exception just this one time. Go ahead, indulge your inner mean kid for a minute. Advice For Breakup. Compile a list of all the ways this person wasn’t good for you,” recommends Winch. “Think of every annoying quality they possessed as well as all the compromises you had to make in the relationship. Keep that list on your phone so you can refer back to it whenever you start thinking they were so perfect. It’s natural to idealize both the person and the relationship. Keeping the qualities that drive you batty will help you take off rose-colored glasses when seeking a new beau, too. Do a social media detox Advice For Breakup. When you share a lot of mutual friends, unfollowing your former partner isn’t enough to cleanse the timeline of their presence. If you don’t want to be bombarded by their face whenever you log on, limit your social media use until the wound heals a bit. Of course, that doesn’t mean the urge to peek at their profile will go away completely. Think of things you can ‘check up’ on whenever you have the compulsion to scope out their online activity. Check on your friend who is overwhelmed with a new baby or call your parents. While you’re doing everything you can to create distance, your well-meaning friends may be tempted to pass along any juicy gossip they come across. So be proactive and let them know you’re struggling to move on and it’s best if they keep it to themselves. Let go of the idea of “closure” Advice For Breakup. You know real life doesn’t play out like a rom-com, yet you may find yourself wishing you experienced a dramatic break-up, like a “He cheated on me” or “She was secretly in love with her best friend” scenario to move on. Unfortunately what tends to happen more often IRL is that two people slowly drift apart, and after the split, one of you is left wondering, why?? It may be that underneath the desperate need for closure is a desire to get back together. There’s this fantasy that if you just keep asking, you’ll discover something that will allow you to undo what happened and get back together with that person. It’s healthier (and better for your long-term mental health) to realize and accept that you just weren’t the perfect match for each other. If the other person isn’t able to articulate why they no longer want to be with you, tell yourself that the fact that your former partner couldn’t go the distance is all the explanation you need to properly close that chapter. The subtext of those explanations is ‘I deserve someone who can commit,’ ‘I deserve someone who can love me enough’ and ‘I deserve somebody who appreciates everything about me.’ Focus on things that help you feel grounded So maybe you can’t bear to go to that spin class where everyone knows you as half of “Amy and John,” but that doesn’t mean everything healthy you did together has to go out the window. If you two loved a particular fitness class, activity, or hobby, you can still take solace in it solo (but maybe switch times so you don’t run into your ex at the gym or studio). How Do I Advice Someone After A Breakup? How Do I Advice Someone After A Breakup? Breakups are where friends are needed. Friendships are often based on being together through the highs and lows of life, and romantic breakups can be some of the lowest kinds of lows. Being a source of support and creating a support system for a friend who has been through a breakup is vital Here are a few tips to help you jump in as a supportive friend during a breakup: Check in with yourself first. Make sure you have the time, emotional resources, and possibly extra funds for outings and gifts to follow through with what you’re committing to when choosing to help your friend. It is more helpful to communicate your capacity to help instead of overpromising and overcommitting. If you set up dinner plans but then have to cancel last minute, this may be more detrimental for your friend who’s already in a fragile state. Be considerate about how you’re showing up for them. Create a safe space. It is important to create a safe space for a friend to express their feelings after a breakup. A safe space is a communication environment that is kind, empathetic, and non-judgmental, where the friend feels safe to talk about how they are feeling without the fear of judgment or invalidation. Showing kindness, empathy, and nonjudgment can take some time to develop, but you’ll never learn if you don’t try. Even if it’s your first time creating a safe space for your friend, you can communicate what you’re trying to do—and, as mentioned earlier, follow their lead. Validate your friend’s feelings, even digitally. If you’re talking about the breakup over text, prioritize letting your friend know they are being seen and heard. When it comes to supporting someone through text, I would lean toward words of affirmation and continuing to remind the person that the pain they’re feeling is normal. Text is limiting for true reflection conversations, so when I know a friend is having a rough moment, I’m usually a sounding board, validating their feelings and making sure they don’t feel alone. Validating feelings can sound like: “That must be hard.” “I hear you.” “That sounds encouraging.” “I’m here for you.” Respect your friend’s boundaries. Make sure you respect your friend’s boundaries. They may not be ready to talk or see anyone. If they communicate that they don’t want to be bothered just yet, respect their requests. Do not violate the boundaries set up by your friend as they grieve the loss. Emotional boundaries are necessary to ensure emotional health. How Do I Advice Someone After A Breakup? As friends, we often want to share advice or share our personal experiences with breakups, but that might not always be helpful. Before sharing advice, ask the person if that’s what they need or if they just need to be heard. Make space for grief. Thinking about the five stages of grief as a guide to help think about the post-breakup grieving process is highly recommended: Denial Anger Bargaining Depression/Sadness Acceptance That said, the grieving process is not linear, and people may move back and forth between these stages throughout their healing. There is no time limit or rush when it comes to healing. It can be hard to witness people we love in pain, and sometimes we want to rush them through the process, but as mentioned before, healing isn’t linear, and it can take two days or two years for someone to finally feel free from their breakup. Keep your friend at the center of the conversation. A big part of getting through a breakup involves doing things that remind you of who you are as an individual, without that person in your life. So as a friend, it can be helpful to guide the brokenhearted through questions like: What are the things you enjoy? What are the things you like to watch? What are the places you like to visit? What aspirations do you have that are just yours? Going through a breakup can feel like recalibrating back into autonomy, and it can even feel like meeting a new version of yourself for the first time, which I think is exciting. Help them self-care. How Do I Advice Someone After A Breakup? It might sound counterintuitive, but as a friend, you can help the brokenhearted with some self-care. Every person is going to handle the initial days and weeks after a breakup differently. Some of the most helpful things we can do are connect with friends who feel safe and find ways to self-soothe. Self-soothing can range from bingeing a Korean drama on Netflix, staying cozy in our favorite sweater, cooking or going to eat our favorite meal, or maybe going for a walk.” As a friend, you’re a special person in their life who knows the little things about them that make them smile. The small act of help can be something like curating the list of K-dramas, making sure they have other cozy accessories to match their cozy sweater, helping them get ingredients to cook their favorite meal, or going on a walk with them. Encourage joy. Emotional processing, especially after a breakup, is a lot of work. You can be the friend who brings some lightheartedness to the season of healing. Encourage them to engage in activities with you that they enjoy such as exercising, going for a walk, going out for lunch, or a long drive. It could be a great time to rediscover layers of your friendship. Perhaps you met at a dance class, and you can learn a new routine together. Or you might enjoy the beauty, so you try out a new skin routine together. Anything that can bring out the joy in your friend is a good starting point. Give it time, and tap on the professionals when needed. Getting over a breakup can take anywhere from a few months to a few years. That said, if you’re concerned about your friend’s emotional state, consider recommending that they get some professional support. If we are concerned about the length of time a friend is grieving the loss of a relationship because it is impacting their daily functioning, we can encourage them to speak to a professional such as a therapist. A therapist can help them work through their emotions and cope effectively with the loss of the relationship. What Are The 5 Stages Of A Breakup? What Are The 5 Stages Of A Breakup? Letting go of a bad relationship can be complicated. That’s because the end of a relationship is, in some ways, like experiencing a death. Even if you are the one that initiated the breakup—and even if you believe that the breakup is the best thing for all involved—letting go of a relationship follows the same process as mourning a death. Denial What Are The 5 Stages Of A Breakup? In this phase, our heart—rather than our head—rules our belief system as we try to adjust to the idea of life without the person we’re losing. Even though we know the relationship is over, we don’t believe it. Against the better judgment of everyone around us, we can’t help but entertain fantasies of things somehow working out. We see hidden glimmers of hope buried in clear indications that it’s over. Anger Anger can manifest in many different ways—anger at your ex (“How could he do this to me? Why can’t she stop being selfish?”), anger at God or the universe (“Why can’t anything ever work out for me? Why am I cursed?”), anger at people or situations associated with the break-up (anger at the “other woman”; anger that your partner lost her job because that is when she “changed”), and anger at other people who don’t agree or stand with your anger (“Can you believe George and Jane still want to be friends with him after what he did to me?”). This is the phase where we think it’s a great idea to tell anyone and everyone how “crazy” or “psycho” our ex was. This is also when we think it’s crucial to send our ex-hateful emails because we don’t want him thinking he got away with anything. Bargaining Bargaining often goes hand in hand with denial. Bargaining can be looking for any possible way to make the relationship work through negotiation, threats, and/or magic—for example, telling your ex that you will change, or move, or go to therapy, or telling him he is hurting the children, his family, your family, and the dog by leaving. And, of course, this phase is not only limited to bargaining with your ex. Many people bargain with The Powers That Be, promising to be a better person if only the ex will come back. What Are The 5 Stages Of A Breakup? During this stage, you may take a new interest in astrology, tarot cards, or any type of voodoo that will forecast a reunion. This is also when we attempt to enlist all friends and family to “talk some sense” into him or her. Depression Depression, like anger, also surfaces in many different forms, for example feeling tired all the time, not wanting to do anything but lay in bed, feeling disconnected from people even when you’re with them, being on the verge of tears most of the time, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, loss of appetite or overeating, increase in drug or alcohol use, and—the big one—hopelessness. Hopelessness is the most pervasive and debilitating; it is the thing that leads us to believe that nothing will ever be or feel different than it is right now. Hopelessness makes it feel like you will never move on and that nothing will ever work out for you in the future. Acceptance Finally, this is the phase in which we can make peace with the loss. It doesn’t always come on suddenly; it often happens gradually, bit by little bit, interspersed with some of the other phases. Acceptance doesn’t always involve harmony and flowers—there is almost certain to be lingering sadness. Acceptance entails making peace with the loss, letting go of the relationship, and slowly moving forward with your life. Sometimes it feels like this phase will never come, which usually means you’re still struggling in an earlier phase. Knowing your phases of grief can help normalize your break-up experience. It’s also important to know that there are no time limits and no rushing the process. Grieving is like digestion: There is nothing you can do to hurry it along. It takes time and the only thing you can do is try to get through it. But take heart in the fact that this, like everything else, will eventually pass. What Should You Not Do After A Breakup? What Should You Not Do After A Breakup? If you’re wondering what not to do after a breakup – this is it. By doing any of these things, you’ll find yourself backtracking, dwelling in hurt, and trying to make something work that just doesn’t. Contact your ex. For any reason. Do not, for any reason, reach out to your ex! You don’t need closure. There’s nothing left to talk about. If you need to give/get things back, ask a friend for help with the exchange or do a drop-off that doesn’t require communication. Don’t keep any lines of communication open. Advice For Breakup. Likewise, do not even give them an option to contact you. Delete and block their number, remove them from Facebook, and delete their mama and their cousin from all social media. Rebound. This is one of the stages of a breakup that the majority of us go through. It’s the regretful rebound. In other words, it’s the person you get with as a distraction or a way to get over your ex. This only leads to heartbreak, regret, and embarrassment. If you’re wondering, “How do I know I’m rebounding? These feelings feel real!” I am here to say that it’s very unlikely. What you’re probably experiencing is a feeling that this new person has all the qualities your ex didn’t have – rather than all the qualities you truly want in a mate. Degrade yourself. What Should You Not Do After A Breakup? Importantly, The failure of a relationship does not make you a failure. Some relationships are meant to end to teach you something. It isn’t you – it’s the relationship. You’re still a great person who is worthy of love. Settle. You probably feel a little hopeless right about now. A relationship has ended that you once thought was “it” for you. I’m here to tell you that there’s something better out there for you. Spend some quality time with yourself and it will happen. In the meantime, don’t try to make it work with anyone who sets off alarm bells in your head or heart. Lash out. What you don’t want to do after a breakup is lash out and act irrationally. Be the bigger, better person that I know you are. In other words, don’t give them a reason to say, “I told you so.” Post about it on social media. What Should You Not Do After A Breakup? Don’t be that person who posts bashes the ex you were just gushing over a week ago. It’s embarrassing, uncomfortable, and immature. Make impulsive decisions. This is only a small part of your story. Don’t make an impulsive decision because it will turn into something much bigger. Your relationship has ended, and now you’re the only one looking out for YOU. Don’t move to a new state or sell all the things you bought together. There are more productive ways to heal. How Do You Survive A Breakup If You Are Still In Love? How Do You Survive A Breakup If You Are Still In Love? No one likes splitting up from their partner, but breaking up with someone you still love is even more unbearable. It feels like your heart’s being ripped out of your chest every day. You can put it off for as long as you can, trying to convince yourself that things will get better if you just wait it out, but you’re just making it worse on yourself. I’d love to say that once you end it, you’ll feel better, but it takes a while to heal. In the meantime, there are some ways to cope a little easier. Accept that love isn’t enough. It’s like cold water in the face, isn’t it? Love isn’t always enough to save a relationship. Just because you love him doesn’t mean it’s going to last forever. Realize it’s not your fault. How Do You Survive A Breakup If You Are Still In Love? If only I’d done this or that. Didn’t I love him enough? Stop blaming yourself. It’s not your fault (or anyone else’s, for that matter). Sometimes couples go in different directions or that initial chemistry fades away. Either way, the relationship’s just not working anymore Think about what’s best for you. Is crying yourself to sleep at night really what’s best? No. If you’re this miserable, it’s time to end things. You’ll move on. You’ll even realize one day that there’s a love out there stronger than what you’re feeling now. You have to take care of yourself, even if it means breaking your own heart. Build some support first. Let your friends and/or family know what’s going on and have at least one person you can talk to before ending things. You need support before and after to make sure you’re not going through this alone. Set aside some post-breakup time. You can plan a vacation, meet with friends, or just take a few days off from work. Just set aside some time to handle that first wave of emotion. Grab some tissues and talk. How Do You Survive A Breakup If You Are Still In Love? Stay strong, though. Say what you need to say and be respectful. This is hurting him, too, so it’s okay to cry. Say your goodbyes through the tears. Stay away as much as possible. Of course, even seeing him in passing hurt like hell. Avoid checking up on him on Instagram or hanging out in the same places. Just stay away and give yourself time to get over him. Hold off on friendship for now. Now’s not the time to try and be friends. Set a time in the distant future to talk about that. You won’t be able to be just friends. Either you’ll hook back up and break up again or you’ll end up hating each other. It’s best to just stay apart. Get rid of all reminders. I’m not saying you should throw anything away, but take down any pictures of him and put any special gifts in a box in your closet. I still have gifts my ex gave me, but at first, I put them all out of sight. It was just too painful to deal with. Break Up Advice Quotes Break Up Advice Quotes. We all hate goodbyes. It takes tremendous strength and courage to leave and move on with life. Anyone who has gone through a breakup knows how hard the recovery is. But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Given the time and patience, you’ll heal and be yourself again. One day you’ll look back and understand that things fall apart so better things can fall in place. If you are going through a breakup, these Break Up Advice Quotes may help you to see the positive side. I hope these quotes will bring you hope and patience. Trust the process, you will be okay and you will find love again. “You can love them, forgive them, want good things for them … but still move on without them.” — Mandy Hale “Someday it’s gonna make sense.” —Michael Learns to Rock “How do you know when it’s over?” “Maybe when you feel more in love with your memories than with the person standing in front of you.” —Gunnar Ardelius “When someone leaves, it’s because someone else is about to arrive.” — Paulo Coelho “How do you love someone and just… Walk away? Just like that. You just, go on as normal…. You get up, get dressed, go to work… How can you do that? How can you be okay with that?” —Ranata Suzuki “Pain makes you stronger, fear makes you braver, heartbreak makes you wiser.” —Drake Sometimes, I don’t know what haunts me more… The memories of you… Or the happy person I used to be.” —Ranata Suzuki “The course of true love did never run smoothly.” — William Shakespeare, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” “Hearts will never be practical until they are made unbreakable.” — The Wizard of Oz Break Up Advice Quotes. “Take a step back today, look at all those beautiful things you have.” — Rick Warren “Ever has it been that love knows not its depth until the hour of separation.” — Khalil Gibran “Breakups can be sad, but sometimes tears are the price we pay for a freedom we need.”― Steve Maraboli “Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.” — Mark Twain “I didn’t lose you. You lost me. You’ll search for me inside of everyone you’re with and I won’t be found.” — R.H.Sin “The hottest love has the coldest end.” — Socrates “The hardest thing is not talking to someone you used to talk to every day.”—SumNan “The heart was made to be broken.” — Oscar Wilde “I always knew looking back on the tears would make me laugh, but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry.” —Dr. Seuss “Failed relationships can be described as so much wasted make-up.” — Marian Keyes, Watermelon “The hardest thing I’ll ever do is walk away still loving you.” —Tracy Lawrence Break Up Advice For Guys Break Up Advice For Guys. Breakups suck. That’s just a fact of life. They’re painful regardless of the specifics, whether it’s been a long time in the offing or came out of the blue, whether you’re the dumper or the dumpee. It might seem impossible when you’re in the midst of the thing, but you can, and will, get over a bad breakup. We know it’s tempting to wallow in those aggrieved feelings, but by doing that, you’ll only hurt yourself more. Instead, here are some productive, forward-looking ways to deal with what’s happened, according to relationship experts. You won’t wake up one morning and be magically over that person, but reframing the way you see things and building healthy habits can help bring you closer to getting over that breakup—and on with your life. Nest. If you’ve moved out of the home you shared with your partner, you must create a “nest” for yourself in your new home. This includes: Stock your cupboards with fruit, vegetables, and supplies for cooking. Put some art on the walls. Buy some indoor plants. Move all of your stuff from your prior home. Men, in particular, frequently avoid doing these things for various reasons; they may think it will make them feel worse, for instance, or they lack motivation and energy after the breakup. Getting started on making a nest for yourself is likely to help you feel better. It’s important your new home feels emotionally warm and comfortable. Go easy on the alcohol. Break Up Advice For Guys. Alcohol is a depressant. And although it can make it easier to get to sleep, it makes it more likely you’ll wake up during the night and have disrupted sleep. Having a hangover, similarly, will make you more irritable and emotional and may make it less likely you will do the types of healthy behaviors that will lead to feeling better overall. It’s not uncommon for men to struggle with suicidal feelings after a painful breakup. Since alcohol is “disinhibiting”—meaning it can lead to doing things you wouldn’t do if you were thinking clearly—it’s especially important you don’t drink excessively if you’re feeling suicidal. Get a relaxing massage. Physical touch is irreplaceable. Invite friends over to your new house for dinner and cook for them. Social contact is important for helping with loneliness. Cooking for friends can help you feel competent and confident. Plan activities so that you’re not spending multiple nights in a row home alone. Don’t “mind read” and assume you know what others are thinking. Men often think that other people will judge them negatively for having had a relationship fail or a pattern of relationships that have failed. This is often not true or is exaggerated. If you feel embarrassed about your relationship has ended, you might be “mind reading” (inaccurately guessing what others are thinking). Talk to your friends. Break Up Advice For Guys. You don’t necessarily need to do a lot of talking to your friends—just a little can make a big difference. Bottling up your thoughts tends to increase shame, embarrassment, and loneliness. Try saying just a sentence or two to your mates about your thoughts and feelings. More in-depth conversations might also help. Consider asking friends who have had a long-term relationship end what they found helpful for coping. Ask them how their thoughts and feelings about the breakup have changed over time. If you instigated your relationship breakup, talk to other people who were in that role. If you were broken up, talk to other people who were in that role. Almost everyone has been through a relationship breakup for some time. Prioritize adequate sleep. Advice For Breakup. Sleep deprivation makes people much more emotional than they usually are. If you’re having problems with getting to sleep or are waking up at the wrong times, get creative in figuring out how you can get more sleep. Strategies include: If you wake up early in the morning and can’t get back to sleep, try getting up and going for a walk for half an hour (maybe while listening to music) and then go back to bed until your wake-up time. Consider a 90-minute daytime nap if that’s possible for you (e.g., on weekend days). How To Deal With A Breakup When You Still Love Them How To Deal With A Breakup When You Still Love Them. If your relationship ended and you find yourself thinking, “I still love my ex,” you might be wondering how long it will take to finally get over that love. If you just broke up, it makes sense that you’re missing your ex at first, but if it’s been a while, you could be getting impatient with yourself for still thinking, “I love my ex” long after you have gone your separate ways. When you’re in love with someone, moving on isn’t easy. However, in most cases, there are things that you can do to make the process go more smoothly, resolve your painful emotions, and stop thinking you love them still. Understand Attachment. First, it can be very helpful just to understand something about attachment and love. Just because a relationship ends does not mean that your thoughts and feelings end abruptly. It is normal to have lingering feelings and keep on thinking for some time. Love and attachment simply do not make a clean break when relationships end. When you genuinely love someone, you become attached, almost like two pieces of paper glued together. While it may seem quite easy to affix them to each other, breaking that connection is much more difficult, and intimate connections and leftover feelings take time to change. Healthy love includes caring for the other person unconditionally, sacrificially, and selflessly. These are pretty important features of healthy love when we want a relationship to stand the test of time. But they can interfere with our ability to let go and move on when the relationship is over. So, be patient with yourself. Advice For Breakup. There is an extent to which your ongoing love for your ex may be completely natural, understandable, and evidence of your genuine love for the other person. Healthy grieving involves several stages, which you must go through to move past a prior relationship. Many factors might impact your feelings during specific stages of this process. The length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and how and why it ended, may all be relevant to how long you experience your grief. And those stages are not a direct line, in a forward direction! You are very likely to ‘recycle’ at some stages. The bottom line is: to be patient with this process. Understand that when you truly love someone and have become attached, many complex emotions are involved in this deep connection. Figuring out how to move forward in your life without that person is not necessarily a simple prospect. But it is possible, even when soulmates break up. Get Closure. How To Deal With A Breakup When You Still Love Them. One of the first things you should do after a breakup is to find closure. Understanding what led to the demise of your relationship is likely to help you be able to let go and move past it. Unfortunately, closure is not something we can demand, or create at will. However, we can be intentional to help ourselves move in that direction, and talking to a relationship expert can help with the process. If you and your ex are on speaking terms, ask as many open-ended questions as you are able, and which your ex will allow, to help you have as much understanding as possible. This can not only assist you in letting go of that relationship, but it very well may help you be healthier in a new relationship. Remember Your Strengths. Struggling to move on is in no way an indicator of how desirable, normal, or lovable you are. Everyone struggles, at one point or another, to move past a time, a relationship, or a situation in their lives, and this struggle is simply an indicator of being a human being. It is what you do with your struggle that defines your health and well-being, not that the struggle exists at all. Leave negative self-talk behind and try to focus on your incredible qualities and the ways you are strong, capable, and independent. Keep in mind that thinking you still love your ex is completely normal for many people and not something to be ashamed of. Keep in mind that being in love with your ex is about love, and love is among the most important emotions we ever have. Create Healthy Boundaries. Advice For Breakup. Practice makes perfect, as they say, so think, speak, and act as though you have moved on, even if you keep thinking about your ex, that direction of thinking, make decisions solo, and go out without a partner by your side. For many people, it helps to spend time with close friends or family members who understand that it’s normal to still love someone you are separated from and who is supportive of the difficult time you are going through. The final say in whether or not you can move on comes from you and your willingness to take the final steps to do so. As impossible as it might feel to let go of someone for whom you felt an overwhelming, all-encompassing love, the good news is this: you can do this! Countless people have come before you, wracked with pain and loss, and have gone on to lead healthy, happy lives, whether these people find other partners and move on in that way, or find other pursuits that they are passionate about. Some of these people will take solo steps toward leaving a loved one behind, while others will enlist the help of a family member, licensed counselor, or therapist to uncover things about themselves that might be holding them back. Some boundaries you can set include: How To Deal With A Breakup When You Still Love Them. Appropriate reasons, and ways, to get in touch with your ex. Co-parents certainly need to talk about the children they share, even if they do not share physical custody. But there are appropriate limits to what should be included, as well as the timing and frequency of such interactions. If you still hang out or talk, you can still set boundaries around what you talk about and how you interact with each other. For instance, no flirting is pretty reasonable if you are trying to move on. And spending time together obsessed with thoughts about loving your ex can be counterproductive. You can also set boundaries around your physical actions. While it can seem very natural to hug when saying ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye,’ that is not at all mandatory, even between friends, or those who wish to remain friendly. If one of the people involved is uncomfortable with such displays of affection and closeness, it is not reasonable for the other to demand it. Go Out on Dates. Getting back out there after ending a relationship can be scary, but you should push yourself to do it when you feel ready. After a breakup, it’s important to get out, have fun, and meet new people, even if your purpose is not about finding true love or starting a life and a future with someone new. Going on a date can be a way to build back your self-esteem and explore different things than what you did with your ex. It might take a little while before you’re ready, or even interested, in dating anyone again. On the other hand, you might be thinking that a rebound is just what you need. Either way, it is always to your advantage to ensure you do have the closure you need from past relationships before even considering entering a new one. Don’t worry if the first date you go on doesn’t go well. The first person you meet probably won’t be right for you, so take this as a time of self-discovery in which you decide what you will want out of your next relationship. You don’t have to stop loving your ex before you start dating. Breakup Advice For Best Friend Breakup Advice For Best Friend. Seeing your friend heartbroken can be difficult, especially if you don’t know what to say to a friend going through a breakup. Certain words lift the spirit of your friend, and the words to say to a friend after a breakup include You’re not going through this alone; I am here for you This experience doesn’t define you, nor does it reflect on you in any way It’s okay if you’re still hurting, don’t rush the recovery process There is no right way to grieve; I’m here for you, whatever you need to get better If you feel like texting your ex, text me instead. However, there are some things you shouldn’t say to someone going through a heartbreak, and they include You need to put yourself out there and start dating or have a rebound You will fall in love again soon and forget all about your ex I understand what you’re going through, but I got over mine and met someone really good. It will soon be your turn Breaking up isn’t such a bad thing; enjoy your single life. You will be much happier single There is no need to cry over spilled milk. Stop thinking of your ex and move on. Also: Listen Breakup Advice For Best Friend. Helping a friend through a breakup entails listening to them. Irrespective of how long your friend was in the relationship, they will likely want to talk about their feelings after a breakup. Your role to play as a friend is the listener. At this stage, your friend doesn’t need your advice but somebody to listen to them. Related Reading: 4 Tips to Be a Better Listener in a Relationship- Why It Matters Be empathetic How comfort a friend after a breakup is not difficult if you know the right steps to take. A true friendship extends beyond being available during the good times and the bad times. So don’t get tired of listening to your friends even if they say the same story repeatedly. They are just trying to work through their feelings. Instead, be empathetic and allow them to vent out their feelings. Remind them they aren’t at fault Breakup Advice For Best Friend. After a breakup, most people are likely to blame themselves and feel like they could have done something differently. So remind your friend constantly that the breakup wasn’t their fault. A failed relationship can’t be one person’s fault; after all, it takes two to make a relationship work. Remind them that they didn’t set themselves up for failure and can’t put the blame on themselves. Phrase your words appropriately Be careful of what you say when comforting a friend after a breakup. Instead, be sympathetic with your words, and don’t force them to go out and start dating again. Also, don’t tell them there are many people out there, and they shouldn’t cry over spilled milk. This is a very sensitive time for them, and they don’t need empty words but compassionate words. Breakup Advice For The Dumper Breakup Advice For The Dumper. Even the ones who end a relationship need some advice. Especially since it could be for any important reason. These are some advice you can give to a dumper 1: Realize that there is a lot of fish in the sea. How many people are you looking to spend time with? Love? Make love to? Hold at night? Maybe make a baby or two with? Enjoy a walk or a movie together? One…maybe two…? Okay, three max! I promise you…they’re out there. They exist. 2: Gain a little distance on this breakup thing. What propelled you to break up the relationship or the marriage? I bet, it’s because on some deep level (or some obvious, mismatched fighting, dysfunctional level) you realized that this person you were with wasn’t right for you. Breakup Advice For The Dumper. So you ended the relationship. Hopefully gracefully (not by a text) and hopefully with some dignity so that if you run into them in the future, you don’t have to bury your head in your cell phone, but you ended it because you knew it wasn’t right — whatever right means to you. From time to time, you’ll be out and about in your life and you’ll be reminded of this person. It’s what the experts call “being triggered”. You’ll probably let your mind wander and get re-triggered when you visit your favorite beach or your usual restaurant. There may be neighborhoods that you’ll have to avoid or a town you’re going to have to visit just to “take back” those streets and make the stores your own! You’ll most likely re-live conversations and the events you shared. This happens because the thoughts are buried inside your mind and memories. And they will hurt. Many, many times over. At least at first. 3: You don’t have to forget them. It’s not possible to forget about someone who’s touched your heart. They get in there and take up space. Even if they were mean to you, hurt you, or betrayed you. You knew they weren’t right for you, but it’s just the way we’re wired. So, I’m sorry, but expect to think about the good moments the two of you shared. Be prepared to imagine them next to you when you go to your favorite places. Know you’ll replay making love to them and all those sexy moments in the future. You’re human. 4: You are not at the mercy of your feelings. Ever. Breakup Advice For The Dumper. Be selective, manage those thoughts that cause you pain. Growing older and wiser, there’s a part of us that must run the show. You tap into this part of your mind every time you do what you say you’re going to do (i.e. show up at work and do a great job, lift the spirits of those you’re with, pay your bills on time, and volunteer). You’re capable of way more than you think amid pain, triggered by memories. So enjoy the happy ones and then stop. Shift. Decide whether or not those particular feelings are productive or useful at the moment. Opt for joy and select being happy in the here and now. Not your memories. 5: Accept responsibility for your well-being. For the future. If you don’t take care of yourself, who will? It’s time to put that break-up into a healthy perspective. You ended the relationship for a real reason! So wish them well and make a U-turn to you. How are you taking care of yourself these days? Are you doing the things you know you need to do, to get the kind of partner you want to have? Only you can answer this question. And it’s super important! No one else can ever fix the broken parts of you. Only you can. So get out there, get some courage, and figure out how to do the work you need to do. Then choose to focus and do the work. Things Not To Do After A Breakup Things Not To Do After A Breakup. Breakups can be brutal. Regardless of whether you were the one who ended things or you were on the other end of things, breaking up with someone you cared for deeply can be one of the most painful experiences in life. More often than not, after a breakup, people are left feeling angry, lonely, and like things will never be the same. There are plenty of helpful strategies to help you after a breakup, and there are plenty of things not to do. Here are Things Not To Do After A Breakup. Don’t beg for another chance Chances are if you got dumped, you want a second chance. That’s only natural after a breakup. But begging for him/her to take you back is not the way to go. Examine your motivation. Do you miss the idea of having a partner or do you miss them? Both are very different. Also, begging will likely only result in feelings of low self-worth – especially if it doesn’t work. Get off of social media This is a recommendation I make in general. However after a breakup, never is it more important. The last thing you need is to see pictures of your ex having a great time at the bar with the arms of good-looking dudes draped around her. Revenge is a dish best not served Ask yourself if revenge is consistent with the kind of person you want to be in this world. It’s natural to feel a desire to try to get back at your ex – especially if they wronged you. However, in the end, it will only make you look small and weak. Ask yourself, “Is revenge consistent with who I want to be? How will this end up serving me in the future?” Chances are that will revenge will just end up leaving you feeling shame and remorse. Don’t date or (or marry) the first one to come along It’s natural to want to replace the last one as fast as possible. However, it’s a good idea to stay single for a while to ensure that your next relationship is not based on impulsiveness and doomed for another painful breakup. Take some time to process what happened and reflect on how you can learn and grow from this experience. Don’t catastrophize Things Not To Do After A Breakup. Breakups are painful. But they’re not the end of the world. Even though things feel brutal after a breakup, don’t let the intensity of your emotions make you start doubting yourself. Words like “always” and “forever” and “never” are powerful and tremendously unhelpful and almost always never true! Don’t share his/her dirty secrets Trash talking about your ex only makes one person look like an idiot – you. Bad-mouthing your ex only makes one person look bad, you. Even though you’re hurting, and even though they may have hurt you, be the bigger person and keep your mouth shut after a breakup. If you do need to confide in someone, find an awesome therapist or life coach you like and trust to help you navigate your feelings. Alone is ok, isolating is not Alone time is one thing, isolation, and avoidance after a breakup is something else entirely. It’s easy to stay home and wallow in self-pity while checking your phone every 30 seconds hoping she texts saying she misses you. However, the worst thing you can do is to turn down social invites and stay home ruminating and obsessing. Get off your ass and go spend time with friends and family – no matter how much you don’t want to. Don’t turn to substances for support Things Not To Do After A Breakup. Have a couple of drinks and let loose after a breakup. Just don’t go overboard and do it every night to avoid your feelings. Having a cocktail or two is not the end of the world. However, using it as a coping mechanism to deal with your emotions is only kicking the can further down the road and creating another, bigger problem you’re going to have to eventually deal with. Don’t idealize your ex It’s a natural reaction to put your ex on a pedestal after a breakup thinking they were the best thing that ever walked the face of the earth. But trust me, they aren’t perfect (and neither are you). Hyper-focusing on their good qualities while ignoring the negative ones will only reinforce the irrational belief that you’ll never find another one like them again! Don’t make any major life changes It might be tempting to hop on a plane, quit your job, or uproot your life entirely after a breakup. However, moves like this often attempt to distract you. Eventually, you will have to deal with the pain. Sooner the better. Breakups are tough and life is short. Don’t fall into these traps thinking they will solve things – they won’t. If you’re struggling to get over a breakup, find an awesome therapist or life coach you like and trust to help you make sense of your pain and create a plan to move forward. How To Break Up With Someone How To Break Up With Someone. There is no right or wrong when navigating how to break up with someone. There are, however, steps you can take to get through it more gracefully. Don’t be afraid to communicate how you feel The damage caused by a breakup can be minimised when handled correctly, and the best way to do this is through open communication. Whether you are in a situationship, monogamous or polyamorous relationship, communicating your needs in a non-blaming and honest way is always the best foot forward. Break up in person if possible Of course, it’s not always possible to break up with someone in person. Especially if you are still easily manipulated by that individual. But if you believe the relationship is at a level where you can communicate openly, then always do it in person. The rule of thumb should be: ‘would you like to get that bad news?’ It’s all about treating someone the way you want to be treated. And don’t be afraid to keep it short and succinct. You don’t have to give them a 10-page speech. Don’t try to make the other person feel better Once the relationship has ended, the other person’s emotions are no longer your responsibility. Sometimes comforting them will only make you feel worse and stop you from healing yourself. If you don’t want to be with someone then you don’t have to be with them. Take the time you need to forgive yourself and do what’s best for you. Cut all contact for as long as you need to (yes that means blocking on social media) How To Break Up With Someone. Mustering up the courage to block an ex on social media can be extremely hard. It’s too easy to get stuck on the idea of staying friends (or worse, fuck buddies). It’s tempting to leave yourself open to contact in case there’s a chance things change. But trust me, you’ll just end up watching their Instagram story over and over again looking for clues that they’re dating someone else. Talk about the breakup with someone you trust We are often poor observers of our relationships. But sometimes our friends and family can see how it’s affecting us better than we can. Having a strong support network can help keep you accountable and stay afloat. “Make sure that you surround yourself with encouraging and helpful people. Talk to a trusted friend or family member before making the decision,” said Wilson. Allow yourself time to be sad You still have a right to be sad even if you are the one doing the dumping. Allowing yourself space to feel all the feelings is important. If you don’t want to get out of bed today, that’s fine. Just take care not to get too self-indulgent in sorrow. Put yourself first How To Break Up With Someone. The longer you spend time in a relationship, the more your sense of identity melds with theirs. So when you break up, if it feels like you’ve lost a part of yourself it’s because you have. This is why the best advice is to invest in yourself. After you break up with someone, take time to put yourself back together again. Focusing on Dr. John Ardens SEEDS theory (sleep, education, exercise, diet, and socialising) is a good place to start. Don’t let the fear of being single hold you back When you’re looking down the barrel of a breakup, one of the major things that could be holding you back is the thought of being single. Learning how to be comfortable being single can be easy for some. For others, it’s a real uphill battle (*cough* me *cough*). Instead of focusing on who you are going to date next, take a step back and take a moment to try new things and explore. Being single is the easiest way to get to know yourself. Whether you like it or not, sometimes you only have yourself to hang out with. So you know, you should at least try and enjoy it. Think twice about staying friends with your ex If you decide to stay in each other’s lives it’s VERY important to set boundaries. You didn’t spend all that time working out how to break up with someone for nothing. There’s no point staying friends with your ex if you’re just secretly hoping you’ll get back together. Doing so can be counterproductive to moving forward for both of you. Sudden Break Up A Long-Term Relationship Sudden Break Up A Long-Tem Relationship. This is one of the most heart-shattering kinds of breakups but does mean you can get over it with some good advice and help. Understand and acknowledge your emotions This is the first step in the healing process. To recover after a long-term relationship breakup, you must allow yourself to feel the emotions you are going through. Try to understand, analyze and work through your feelings. Cry, yell, show anger – express yourself in whichever way feels right at that moment. Let it all out. Acknowledge your feelings and gradually find healthy ways of expressing yourself. Meditate, exercise regularly, jot down your feelings in a journal, talk to a friend or family member, listen to music, watch a film or eat your favorite food. Don’t blame yourself for feeling the way you feel. Your emotions are valid, and you need to process them instead of letting them fester inside you. Lean on your friends and family for support It might be difficult to think straight or express yourself after ending a long-term relationship with someone you love. At this time, the presence of family, friends, and loved ones is a blessing. They form the strongest support system that you could probably ask for. Spend time with them. Talk to them about how you feel. They can listen to you, serve as a distraction to help you cope, and offer advice. Going out with friends or spending time at a family get-together can be a great mood uplifter and offer a ray of positivity following a sudden breakup in a long-term relationship. Our friend circles and social relationships play an essential role in our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Practice self-care People often let go of themselves following a sudden breakup in a long-term relationship. Try to avoid doing that. Practice self-care. Indulge in your favorite pastime. Do something you like, whether it’s watching a movie, eating your favorite meal, pampering yourself at a spa session, reading a book, or listening to music. Sudden Break Up A Long-Tem Relationship. Take care of your physical and mental health. A few minutes of physical exercise, yoga, meditation, or a walk amidst nature can uplift your mood and spirits. Taking care of yourself will also boost your confidence, which is probably what you need right now. Refrain from going through things that your partner loved or both of you enjoyed doing together. Take on a new hobby Sudden Break Up A Long-Tem Relationship. Getting back to your favorite hobbies or picking up a new one is an effective way to recover after a long-term relationship breakup as it proves to be a distraction from all the negativity within and around you. What are your favorite hobbies? What is that one thing you’ve always wanted to learn? Now is a good time to get into it. It’s a great way to keep your mind off the negative emotions and focus on the brighter side. Whether it’s a new sport, art form, cycling, reading, playing some musical instrument, or learning scuba diving – picking up a new hobby will get your mind off the breakup. Try a new hair color if you want. Travel the world. Try some adventure sports. Take an online class. Learn a skill. You have free time in hand and a lot of unoccupied headspaces. Make the most of it. Advice For Breakup Conclusion Advice For Breakup Conclusion. Getting closure after a relationship ends can be healing and help you move forward. Though you may be tempted to have this post-mortem conversation right away, don’t rush into it. Both you and your ex could benefit from some time to breathe and reflect. Unless there is a safety issue, it is often helpful and healing to have a final closure talk once the dust has settled from the breakup. This is a sort of relationship exit interview where you can ask some burning questions and get some feedback that may help move on in future relationships.” Advice For Breakup Conclusion. Anywhere from a month to a year to have this discussion. No sooner than a month, because emotions and thoughts need time to clear. Further reading Dating coach Homepage RELATIONSHIP COUNSELLING NEAR ME NOW Relationship Courses All Services Editorial Improve my relationship I think my boyfriend is cheating on me Family Therapy Overwhelmed meaning Ghosted PTSD quotes Cheating quotes Relationship poems What to do if a guy doesn’t text you for a week Stages of a rebound relationship Feeling used I am too scared to date again 9 texts to never send a man or woman I still love my ex Do you have anger issues please take the test click here Do guys notice when you ignore them Why can’t I get over my ex who treated me badly? Communal Narcissism Emotional cheating texting Narcissist love bombing