Break Up Survival 101
By Artemeis
@artemeis (4194)
China
March 28, 2013 1:11pm CST
Breaking up is difficult for both parties. It is normal for you to feel that you will never get out of this in one piece but you should not let this feeling blind you. Breaking up part of the dating and romancing cycle so no one can be exempted from experiencing it some time or another or once or numerous times in a lifetime. Whether it is self imposed or imposed on you by someone else, the feelings may be unbearable but it is certainly not the end of the world for you.
Here are some suggestions you may want to consider that may be of help:
1. Keep In Touch
The first thing you should not do is to isolate yourself, even if you prefer to grief on your own and need your own space but you cannot do it to the extent that you live like a hermit without any contact with your friends or family members. So, get in touch with your friends/family members and make plans to gather together. This will ensure that you will not be alone to mop around and worsen your condition to the state of depression. People need people, so friends/family members can really help you, lift up your spirits, get you to enjoy life and most of all bring your life back on track once more.
2. Speak Up and Out
One of the most effective ways to overcome our depression is to find some way to release your stress. So, try to voice your feelings rather than keep them bottled up because if you do, you will just accumulate and become a ticking time bomb which when explode will hurt everyone around you and yourself. You can revisit your old memories and cry your heart out if you feel like it. However, it is not any better than to talk things over with someone close to you, someone whom you can trust and is your good listener.
3. Time
Give yourself all the time required to come to terms with the breakup. Reality is always harsh and the sooner you accept the fact that the relationship is over, the sooner you will recover. During this time, you should not be idling away or drown yourself with vices but to do some reflections on where the relationship or you have gone wrong. Determining the faults and mistakes helps prepare you for future relationships. Time is a real healer, it heals wounds and broken hearts. I can assure you that you will come out stronger, once you use your time wisely to evolve.
4. Rainbows
After every storm there will always be a rainbow. Like a passing storm, let yourself know that this sad phase will pass too. Nothing lasts forever and so does this particular stage of your life. You will be able to outgrow and outlast this broken relationship. Life goes on and you will regain your life once again.
5. Keep Yourself Occupied
Ensure that you are busy all the time if not then, most of the waking time. Plan activities and make it happen. By all means, have plenty of fun by ways of sports, movies, hobbies, interest classes or music concerts. Do not have too much time to idle on your hands as this will make you feel despondent and mop. Keep yourself preoccupied at all times so that your mind will be diverted.
6. Pamper Yourself
I am sure you will agree with me that we make a lot of sacrifice when we are in a relationship depriving ourselves from the things we would like to have or giving up our favorite activities for our love ones. So, indulgence is good once in a while especially during this challenging times. Reward yourself by way of a massage, a weekend trip, live concerts or a new dress. Try to enhance the feel good factor by doing things that help you feel positive and good. Reward yourself regularly with little things that will make you feel upbeat and good about yourself.
7. Socialize
Break ups does not mean that you are anti social or a failure. So, start entering the dating arena whenever you are ready. Ask your friends to help you get dates and never ever refuse a party invite. Once you are a part of the dating circle again you definitely might find someone good or in most cases better and move on leaving that hurtful past behind you.
8. Do Not Punish Yourself
Since I had dealt on self reflection, I would like to clarify that you do not try to think of the reasons why things went wrong immediately and beat yourself up even if you are at fault. In a relationship, it takes 2 to be together and likewise to break up. When either party does not see the point in continuing with one another there will no longer be any meaning or purpose to postpone the inevitable. Other than forgiving your partner, you must never forget to forgive yourself.
9. Times of Your Life
If you can it is helpful to store the good times away and try to look forward to a new phase of your life. Build up the excitement for the new things and learning that will have good times come your way quicker. Remember change is the only constant in life so learn to deal with it.
Important Notes:
Once you have decided to break up - make a clean break. Do not try for interim patch ups as these will not work. Get all the unresolved concerns out of your system as this will enable you to move on with no harboring of hard feelings within.
Do not think that sleeping with your ex will make things work for you.
Do not do things that you will regret later.
Give yourself cool down time.
Never hesitate to ask for help and support from your loved ones whenever you feel the need.
2 people like this
8 responses
@doroffee (4222)
• Hungary
28 Mar 13
I agree with all the things, especially the points about socializing, finding time-consuming hobbies and not blaming yourself. I would also add that it is a bad idea to jump into a stranger's arm at a bar the day after the break up just because you feel the need of a touch and being loved.
2 people like this
@arahmae14 (63)
• Philippines
28 Mar 13
If I may add it is better to surround yourself with positive people. Yes, you have friends and family that will support you. But not all of them can give a right advice. There are cases that one of the family members is more bitter than the one who broke-up. And the worst thing is, he/she blames you why this crap happened. If you hate blaming game, you better avoid people who can only give negative vibes. You better socialize people who are very positive in life.
1 person likes this
@arahmae14 (63)
• Philippines
28 Mar 13
Ooops, double post... I don't know how to delete it. Sorry!
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@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
28 Mar 13
Thanks Hatley - I di not know that either
1 person likes this
@artemeis (4194)
• China
29 Mar 13
I believe it is an obvious choice when it comes to who we would want to be surrounded with and who we want around us, when we are experiencing a tough time. I don't think any one in your friend's list would be those who aren't of any help to you, one way or another.
Also, I am sure other than looking for comforting words and assuring hugs, all others like advices, criticisms or blaming would not even make it in your "shopping list" for care time. I would not doubt this if your choice of friends are right or your family members are tight with you. Fragile as a broken hearted may be but I am sure all of us would want not want to ignore a red light and be willful here. Again, this is the reason why we need friends around to prevent us from such dilemma.
About bad mouthing the ex, I believe we need to take it with a grain of salt when we had chosen a blind eye on the obvious faults of your ex who had been spotted by your discerning circles. How's that for self confidence and reassurance of yourself of being the better half? It is really not that bad and we should be wary of the emotions within to understand where we stand on this break up.
On this point about getting in touch with our friends and family members, I find that a lot of them are unwilling to because they had initially shut themselves out with their circles while they were dating. I have a few of such friends but I always believe that good friends will overlook past mistakes with open arms. So to those who are in this situation, I say take up the courage and dial the numbers.
@celticeagle (168256)
• Boise, Idaho
29 Mar 13
Breaking up is so hard today. Of course this has to do with how long and how vested feelings wise you are in the relationship. 1. Stay in touch. I was afraid that you meant with the ex-partner. I think we definitely need our friends at this time and they can help keep you balanced and sane. 2. Releasing our stress and taking care of ourselves is very important. Depression can come on very quickly and it isn't fun. Having friends you feel comfortable with and can talk to is great. 3. Giving yourself time to heal is all important. So many people jump right back into a relationship way before they are ready. This can only lead to problems. If you are bitter or all you do is talk about the ex you new partner is going to get tired of it real fast. If you aren't ready don't plunge! 4. Nothing lasts forever. You will get through and to the other side and a new chapter of your life will begin. But it all takes time. 5. Keeping busy is really important. Think about what happened and all but don't dwell on it. Keeping busy will also help you to keep your mood up and not get depressed. 6. Pampering ourselves is something we should do all the time. And sometimes problems arise in a relationship because we are giving too much time to the other person and not enough to ourselves. 7. The dating arena can be scary. Might be fun to try something new. a new approach to dating or place to meet could do you a world of good. 8. I think there are stages of the healing process and one of them is punishing yourself. Feeling guilty, after thought, etc. It's a process! 9. It may be a while but at some point there will be some good memories to recall and reminisce over. But it does take time. Yes, help and support. This is when you learn who your real friends are.
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@artemeis (4194)
• China
4 Apr 13
Sorry for this delayed comment as I thought I'd get back when I have the time to digest. Thanks for the additional input here especially item 7) "The dating arena can be scary. Might be fun to try something new. a new approach to dating or place to meet could do you a world of good".
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (168256)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Apr 13
And if you meet someone where you have things in common that is a good start too.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
28 Mar 13
This is definitely a survival 101 on breaking up a relationship. The thing is - mother was right - it does take time and time is a healer - althugh we do not think so at the time. Keeping busy is also very important and do not give in and phone the ex. That would be a bad ove. It is finished. A great guide, but I hope it is not your heart that has been broken?
1 person likes this
@artemeis (4194)
• China
29 Mar 13
Mother's always right, indeed.
The young generation should remember this and I really like to see more of this. Having 2 daughters myself, I often have the shivers on what I hear and read on the news. Even worse, when I go out with my colleagues to various entertainment venues occasionally.
Anyway, I did have my heart broken before and I felt that I would like to write something since reading so many break up struggles here. I hope that this will be of help and on the note of friends, I have to say that I've left out friends online especially in mylot like you.
Thank you.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
29 Mar 13
What you said are just what one should do, really. In summary, one should just not think that life has ended just because of one heartache.
1 person likes this
@artemeis (4194)
• China
30 Mar 13
So true and well spoken. Breakup is not the end of the world for us but merely a passing pain to our heart.
“When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so regretfully upon the closed door that we don't see the one that has opened for us.” - Helen Keller
@arahmae14 (63)
• Philippines
28 Mar 13
If I may add, it is better you surround yourself with positive people. Yes, families and some friends are there to support you. But not all of them can give proper advice especially if you are in the peak of sadness and self-pity. There are some members of your family is more bitter than you and keeps on talking and bad mouthing about your ex. It is worse if one of them will blame why this crap happened. So if you think that there are negative people around you, you better avoid them and choose the right people who can truly understand and give your right advice.
1 person likes this
@Dominique25 (9464)
• United States
28 Mar 13
Yeah those are all great things for us to remember when we are going through a hard. Things like this we have to make note of so that we can remind ourselves as well as share these things with others who are having a hard time. Thanks for sharing these things with us.
@artemeis (4194)
• China
29 Mar 13
I did have the idea of letting this post be bookmarked for others who might be struggling with their recent relationship breakdown to refer to. I have no doubt that these experiences can be very overwhelming and such notes will somehow reassure them to go back to the basics to deal with the problem areas.
For someone, who's been there and over it, I believe it would be nice to share and learn together.
@srisahara (4508)
• Indonesia
29 Mar 13
Breaking up is painful for both parties, because actually breaking up is the last way to solve your relationship. But I think it is okay as long as you do this decision with the right way such as finish all problem between you or make a clean break and really realize that breaking up is the best way...
@artemeis (4194)
• China
29 Mar 13
Not being condescending but people today seems to be getting into pseudo relationships which aren't even relationships to begin with. Since the emergence of internet, everything became more touch and go with Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and whatever online social networking sites. To me, virtual isn't the same and if I may add no where near reality.
Then, there's the other falling in love from all the wrong places, reasons and people. Building a relationship on a flimsy or literally no foundation at all but yet people seems to be falling than loving if you get my point here. There's no real relationship in the first place but yet I suppose every relationship including these hideous ones does involve vested times from all parties.
So break up though inevitable is still tough and painful for people undergoing it. Sometimes break ups in such situations are fast but good, and certainly solves underlying problems.