Give yourself some me time
You've
probably been in a relationship for a while, or maybe you've been
thinking about that person non-stop for months. Now is the time to take a
step back, look at your life, and move on to the next challenge.
Everyone falls down. It's how you get back up that defines you.
- Take a weekend to do whatever it is you love most. Whether it's surfing, hiking, cooking, or simply being around your friends, use the opportunity to surround yourself with happy people and do the things that make you happy.
- Start a journal to record how you feel. Writing things down can be a powerful release. It's called "catharsis," where you purify your mind through expression. Write about whatever you want to write about. You'll feel a lot better after you do.
- Don't be afraid to feel sad. It's normal to feel sad. Don't feel inferior or stupid if you cry or get upset — these things are normal. Going through grief is just another step along the path to recovery. Let yourself grieve
BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL FIND LOVE AGAIN AND AGAIN
You
could fall into the trap of remaining convinced that your ex is the
only person you could ever love. This is unlikely to be true on a planet
with six billion people.
So
why do you believe it? Can it be because you are desperately trying to
avoid accepting that the relationship is over? Or are you afraid that
the bad feelings associated with heartbreak will never go away?
That
fear makes you anxious, and keeps you feeling bad for longer. The
burden of your heartbreak has grown heavier, and a vicious circle has
been established.
Try not to be in the same place as the person, if possible
This
is hard to do, obviously: The other person has probably been an
important part of your life for some time, and your body and brain are
used to having them around. But giving the other person up, like cold
turkey, is a good way to tell your body and mind that there are plenty
of other people in the world who deserve your attention. Why not give
them a chance?
- If you go to school with the person, avoid the person as much as possible. Don't sit with them at lunch; don't participate in the same voluntary projects. Take the classes that you finally want to take. As much as possible, make yourself scarce when that person is around.
- Don't put yourself in situations where you could bump into one another. You know what places the person goes to because you used to shared love. If the person loves going to the gym early Saturday, only go during the weekday. If the person loves going to the local farmer's market, try to go really late or early if you have to go. (Best would be to avoid altogether.)
- Be courteous if/when you bump into the person. There's no use being mean, angry, boastful if you run into the person. Say "hi" the way you would to a friend, have a short, impersonal chat, and say goodbye. The best payback that you can give the other person is to live a full, happy, meaningful life without them.
CHANGE HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF AND HIM
The
next stage is to focus on your mental picture of your lost love. By
changing how you represent your ex in your mind, you can greatly reduce
or even eliminate your distress.
You
must learn to control your 'visualisation'. Every single one of us
makes pictures in our imagination - and we can all learn how to change
the pictures. It is important to learn to do this, because our bodies
react to what we imagine in the same way that they react to what is
actually happening to us. Memory and imagination affect our feelings in
the same way as reality does.
We
are constantly altering our state by the pictures we make in our
imagination and the way we talk to ourselves. So it is vital to control
those pictures and not let them run away with our feelings.
CHANGE HOW YOU SEE YOUR PAST
- Answer the following question. Which side of your front door is the lock on? To answer, you have had to make a mental picture of the door. You have made a visualisation.
- Now try to imagine what your front door would look like if it was bright orange or had yellow stripes down it. Make it bigger. Move it away so that it is smaller. Move it further away and down a bit so you are looking down on it. Make it open. Change it in different ways.
- Think about your ex now. As soon as you remember what someone looks like, you are using visualisation. What is the expression on his or her face? Observe what your ex is wearing and what he or she is doing. Where do you see the picture of them? In front of you, or to the left or the right? Is it lifesize or smaller? Is it a movie or a still image? Is it solid or transparent? Now, as you keep that image in your mind's eye, notice the feelings that arise. Make a note of those feelings.
- Now you could remember or imagine them differently. You can imagine you are a great film director. You can reshoot the scenes of your memory and imagination in any way you want. You can change the action, soundtrack, lighting, camera angles, framing, focus and speed. Change how you are visualising your ex and notice how it affects your feelings.
CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS
The
next step is to do the same thing on the inside - transform your habits
of thought. In a relationship, we build up a huge array of such habits.
When the love affair ends, these patterns can still be running.
To change your thinking habits, you need to understand a little more about them.
Have
you ever witnessed the same event as someone else, and later found out
their account of it was completely different from yours? Each of you saw
the event through a 'frame', made up of your personal beliefs, feelings
and internal habits.
If
you are finding it devastatingly difficult to handle the end of your
relationship, you may need to change this 'frame'. You will need to
reframe your heartbreak. Stop seeing it as the end of your happiness.
Instead, turn it into a challenge; view it as an opportunity.
Being
heartbroken can make you feel worthless and hopeless - but that is
because the frame you are using is too narrow. Learning to see your
situation with a different frame is a wonderful liberation.
Stay optimistic
This
is easier said than done, but whenever you feel yourself being overly
negative, dwelling on the past, or just looking at the glass as
half-empty, try to snap out of it. Remind yourself of everything you
have and how lucky you are.
- Smile as much as possible. It'll help you feel better and look great. Watch funny movies, read funny books, or hang with funny friends.


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