Breakups can leave you with a feeling of emptiness, even months after the relationship breaks down. While some say that the only way to heal your heart is time, there are also other ways to fill the void. Here are some ways to survive a breakup and come back fighting. It may not be immediate, but you’ll get there.
- Get off social media. Social media seems like it can fix a lot of problems. But honestly, there’s a lot of content on social media that can leave you feeling even more empty. When you feel lonely and sad, you don’t need to see other couples living it up. And you don’t need to see your ex, whether they’ve moved on or not. Getting off social media and filling your live with other, more productive things, can make you feel a lot better. What kind of things? Keep reading!
- Hang out with friends and family who love you. You need to surround yourself with love when you’re hurting. Just because you don’t have a romantic partner doesn’t mean you don’t have a lot of people in life who do love you. So hang out with them! Cull anyone who brings you down or doesn’t want the best for you. And organize dates with friends and family who make you feel better. Remember, there are all kinds of love out there.
- Spend time with animals or children. Seriously, science thinks you should spend time with animals and children when you’re lonely. The kind of pure, unconditional love that only animals or children can give will remind you of the goodness in the world. And you will feel loved and a little less empty. So spend some time babysitting or just chilling with your pets. Nothing will help you survive your breakup more.
- Focus on your routine. Routine might not be a very exciting word, but getting into a routine is a powerful way to fill the void. When you’ve got no structure in your life and nothing to do, you can easily feel like you have no purpose. It’s easy to dwell on the sadness and emptiness. Instead, set a routine that will fill up your time and give you something to focus on. Pack your days with work, exercise, hobbies, creativity, cleaning, life admin, and anything else to give your life structure.
- Set some career goals. There’s no better time than after a breakup to shift your focus to your career! Set some goals that make you excited to get up in the morning. If you’ve got a crazy dream for your career, maybe it’s time to revisit it. Or you could try setting something more measurable and easily obtained, like a promotion or a pay rise.
- Discover your passions. Your passions are the things that make you happy. When you feel empty, it’s time to explore those things and make room for them in your life. It can be a hobby, like writing or drawing. Maybe it’s cooking or collecting antiques or fashion. Maybe it’s rock music or animals or history. Find the things that you could spend hours immersed in and make them a regular part of your life.
- Travel. You’d be surprised at how powerful travel is at filling the void. Discovering new places is exciting and fills you with hope again. Because as much as you think you’ve got the world figured out, you never really do. There’s always something new and beautiful to find. Plan a dream trip, even if you can’t afford it right now. Making travel plans for the future gives you something to look forward to, which can make the feelings of emptiness easier. You’re not just going to survive this breakup, you’re going to thrive.
- Get stuck into a good novel. Novels are really just exercises in escape. They take you to another place with new people and give you a break from your life. While you can’t escape your life forever, getting emotionally invested in a novel can make the present more bearable. If novels aren’t your thing, you could also get lost in a new Netflix series or movie.
- Explore your spiritual side. A lot of people turn to spirituality when they suffer heartbreak. It might not be for you, but getting to know your spiritual side can give you a new sense of hope after a breakup. Exploring your spirituality can also help you feel less alone in the world, and more supported by a higher power. It doesn’t really matter what you believe in, but most people find believing in something brings enormous comfort.
- Work on yourself. You’ve heard it a million times, but fill your heart with self-love when it feels empty. Work on yourself, from your health to your image to your skills to your personal goals. This will give you a sense of purpose and improve your relationship with yourself.
