It’s over. You broke up. Just in time for Valentine’s, too. Well, whether you wanted it or not, you’re here now and there’s no going back. People will tell you to make the most out of it, and they’d be right. The problem is you don’t know where to start.
Dealing with the intangible stuff is important but according to the National Institutes of Health, doing physical activities can help change mood states. You don’t always have to be moving, but staying in a dormant state will make it harder to move on. Get it? Anyway, here are six things you can do to get over a breakup.
Work out
As far as physical activities go, this is the ultimate mood-changer. Whether you run, join a gym, or just follow YouTube workout videos, the important thing is that you start moving your body with fitness as your goal. This won’t only keep your mind off your ex and chemically make you feel good, by the time you’ve gotten over them, you’ll be fitter than when you broke up. Win-win-and-win!
Enroll in a class
You’ve always wanted to learn origami, right? Now’s the time to do it. Sign up to as many classes as you can and spend time learning and acquiring new skills instead of dwelling in sadness. Maybe if you’re lucky the new information pushes out the now bittersweet memories.
Pick up a hobby
If classes seem too structured for your interests, pick up a hobby instead. Sports and computer games are easy options. You can also look at more creative endeavors like photography or sculpting. Have fun, create, and keep your mind off them, that’s the important bit.
Reach out
Now that you have all this time on your hands, why not dedicate some of it to helping the less fortunate? Several charities give people the chance to volunteer. While you’re at it, you can also take this chance to get rid of stuff that remind you of your ex. You know what they say — one man’s past is another man’s treasure. That didn’t sound quite right.
Leave the house
You can fly to Europe, take a long drive, climb a mountain, or just see a movie. Staying at home can give you a lot of idle time. And you’re allergic to idle time right now. There’s surely a place you’ve always wanted to visit. You don’t have to put that off anymore. Go light on the travel playlist though, those tears may get in the way of driving.
Move
Nothing can bring back memories more than staying in the house where you both lived before. You can probably still see their specter from time to time. Plus, you probably don’t need all that extra space anyway. Why not move into a smaller,one bedroom apartment now? Move to a different city, a different country even. Sometimes the best way to move on is to actually move.
The truth is, there will always be time for quiet moments when the deluge of memories will kick you sober. And the real way of dealing with the breakup is by dealing with those moments. But you don’t have to force yourself to experience them all as soon as possible. Take your time. Keep yourself distracted until you’re ready. You got this.
