According to one survey, 71% of respondents think about exes too much. Moving on after a Breakup is a necessary step towards happiness.

The results of the same survey also found that 60% of married people admit to thinking about their exes too often. Your future relationships are counting on you to move on.

You deserve to be happy without your ex. Turn your breakup into a breakthrough.

Here are some vital tips for moving forward after a breakup:

Allow Yourself To Feel

Breakups and grief usually go hand-in-hand. Give yourself permission to feel grief.

Emotional symptoms of grief include sadness, anger, disbelief, and fear. Physical symptoms include tension, fatigue, being easily distracted, and appetite changes. You may also experience changes in your sleeping habits.

Don’t try to repress your feelings. This will only delay the healing process. In order to heal, you must allow your feelings to flow.

Cry as much as you need to. Letting the waterworks flow in your personal time will avoid emotional outbursts at work or other public spaces.

Try journaling your feelings and thoughts or expressing yourself another way. This will help you process and reflect upon your experience.

Whatever you do, don’t wallow in feelings of worthlessness. Keep your self-esteem in check. Things will get better.

Acceptance and Being Real

In order to move on, you must accept that the relationship is over.

Accepting a breakup means abandoning all hope of having a future relationship with your ex. Whenever you start envisioning a future with your ex, stop that thought immediately and focus on something else. Eventually, your brain will stop having those thoughts altogether. 

Only agree to be friends with your ex if that’s what you truly want. It’s okay if you don’t want to. Even if you do agree to stay friends, this next tip is still important.

Giving Yourself Space and No Contact

You need to give yourself space and time to heal. The amount of time needed to heal from a breakup varies between each person. Prepare to be patient with yourself in the meantime.

Don’t rush into making a new online dating profile just yet. Take time as much time as you need to process the breakup before you start dating again. Dealing with your feelings means you’ll carry less emotional baggage into your next relationship.

The “No Contact Rule” exists for a reason. According to this rule, you shouldn’t communicate with your ex again until you’re over the relationship. 

Avoid texting or messaging your ex at all costs. If you feel tempted to text your ex, distract yourself with another activity. If possible, give someone permission to take your phone away.

Consider blocking your ex on social media to avoid snooping around their profile, seeing their posts, and dwelling on your former relationship.

Learn

Be honest with yourself about the relationship. Where did it go wrong? If possible, identify red flags you can look out for in the future.

Avoid idealizing your ex or the relationship. It ended for a reason.

Write down the lessons you learned from the relationship. That way, you can focus on what you’ve gained from the relationship rather than what you’ve lost. Then you can shift your thoughts towards gratitude and loving yourself.

Practice Extra Self-Care

Life after a breakup can be tough, especially if you’ve just left a toxic relationship. People don’t always treat themselves well after breakups. That’s why it’s important to practice extra self-care at this time.

Take that bubble bath. Read that book. Do something solely for the sake of your pleasure.

Keep a healthy sleep schedule. Decide on a bedtime if necessary.

Focus on yourself. Being kind to yourself is especially necessary right now.

Avoid drinking excessively or abusing drugs. While it’s tempting to attempt to escape/numb negative feelings by getting sloshed, they’ll eventually come back to haunt you.

Talk (But Not Too Much)

Feel free to talk about what you’re going through with your friends. Talking to friends can be a cathartic experience.

However, don’t talk about your ex or the breakup too much. Doing so involves focusing on the past. Being happy after a breakup means living in the present, coming to terms with the situation, and moving forward.

Unless you’re warning others about an abuser, avoid bashing your ex in public. People might think you’re salty. Don’t share dirty details about the breakup on social media.

See a counselor if you seriously need to vent about your ex. Therapy can help you with moving on after a bad breakup as a goal.

Reframe Rejection

Reframe how you think about rejection. You can think of rejection as a loss or something that works in your favor.

Michelle Phan said one of the best relationship quotes: “I believe that rejection is a blessing because it’s the universe’s way of telling you that there’s something better out there.”

Sure, this relationship didn’t work out. Still, rejection makes room for a more fulfilling relationship to enter your life later on. Think of this breakup as a new beginning as opposed to a mere ending.

Learn more inspiring quotes for people with broken hearts. They’ll help you feel better.

Affirmations

Try doing daily affirmations. Positive affirmations promote positive thinking and good self-esteem.

Here are some examples:

• “I am beautiful and worthy of love.”
• “I embody healing and wholeness.”
• “I live a complete life on my own.”
• “I live in the moment.”

It’s even better to write your own affirmations. Don’t forget to write them in the present tense.

Start Moving On After a Breakup

Human brains interpret rejection as pain. Moving on after a breakup can be difficult, but it’s more rewarding than anything else you’ll ever do.

Much like physical pain, one study found that acetaminophen (Tylenol) can reduce the emotional pain caused by a breakup. It’s worth a try, but once again: Don’t rely on drugs to avoid your pain.

Get hip to the world of dating and learn more dating hacks. They’ll help you navigate relationships better.