A Complete Guide To Moving On From An Ex

A phrase most of us hear after suffering from heartbreak is ‘just move on.’ No matter how well-intended the term is, it’s never that easy. We cannot simply rid ourselves of our ex’s memory overnight. Doing so is often a long and daunting process.

Breakups can often leave you feeling lost. The frightening thought of no longer sharing your life with someone you once cared about is scary. Despite advice from friends and family, moving on is a personal journey.

Whether it was a couple of years or days, acknowledging loss is a painful process. If you’re not sure of where to start, you’re in the right place. Use this guide to help you ultimately move on from your ex and be the best version of yourself.

Let Go Of The Fantasy

Sometimes you may find yourself dreaming up memories of what your relationship could have been. Wishful thinking is comforting when you’re feeling down. However, focusing on the potential of a past relationship could hold you back from moving on.

Your relationship ended for a reason. First, try to acknowledge and unpack the painful reasons head-on. Acceptance as to why the relationship ended is essential to help you forgive and let go. As a result, you will come to terms with your current situation.

Let Go of Things That Remind You Of Them

Maybe you’re still holding on to your ex’s favorite clothes or texts. Things like these serve as constant reminders. What follows next? Consequently, negative feelings and dread start to creep up on you.

According to psychotherapists, our thoughts can be triggered by things, experiences, or events that remind us of an individual. By separating yourself from these things that serve as reminders of your ex, you may end up thinking about them less often.

Grieve The End Of Your Relationship

Grief can be often a difficult stage to navigate alone. You might find it easier to brush those emotions aside and keep it together. However, the reality is that grieving is a non-avoidable and crucial step if you want to let go of all negativity.

Therapists recommend letting yourself feel everything. As a result, this allows you to work through your emotions. We know grief takes time, so you can start the healing process when you begin to let go.

Write A Letter To Your Ex

At times, you may find yourself thinking back on things left unsaid after the end of a relationship. Emotions never communicated have the potential to weigh you down. As odd as it may seem, writing these feelings in a letter to your ex is the solution.

Keep in mind; this isn’t a letter to be sent. The theory behind this exercise is to express every single thing you didn’t get to say about your relationship. Once you’re done, think of creative ways to destroy the letter for a sense of release.

Make Peace With The Past

When someone’s past actions were hurtful, feeling angry is a natural response. This is because you are forced to reexamine the person’s character. Never in your wildest dreams would you have imagined someone you cared about letting you down.

Try shifting your perspective and acknowledge no one is perfect. Learning to make peace with the past is more beneficial to your emotional freedom. No one’s actions should influence your ability to move forward.

Practice Self Care

You may have forgotten parts of yourself during your past relationship. Therefore, you might have put self-love on the back burner. The primary idea is to put yourself first. Rediscover who you are or were as an individual before relationships; thus, self-care is ideal.

Challenge yourself to a new skincare routine or take up a new hobby. It doesn’t have to be a sudden change; start slow and work your way up. We’d recommend exploring things that make you feel joy. Make room for other exciting interests in order to heal.