Your ex’s possessions that they left with you Gifts your ex gave you Music or mixtapes that your ex made for you Pictures, drawings, or artwork that reminds you of your ex
Today, this advice applies to your technological connections as well. Seriously consider “unfriending” or blocking your ex on your social networks (at least for the time being). You may also want to remove this person’s number from your phone to reduce the temptation to text.
See our main exercise article for lots of tips on starting a new fitness routine.
If you’re away from your support network, make the best of your situation. Phone calls and Skype chats can be very helpful. You can even make new friends, but don’t get into a new relationship yet.
If it helps, you can even try thinking of your ex with pity. Losing you is something your ex will regret once they realize how valuable you actually are.
A large part of this acceptance is forgiveness. Forgive yourself for not being able to hold it together. Forgive your partner for wanting to leave (if you are going to remain friends with them later on this one is absolutely vital). Forgive your partner or yourself for the problems that led to the split. You are both only human.
Devote yourself to your work. Accept ambitious new assignments. Take more responsibility. Ask for a raise or a promotion. Take up a new hobby. Learn how to play an instrument. Study a new language. Start writing stories or keep a journal. Explore the world. Travel. Meet new people. Trek out into the wilderness (with proper safety precautions).
When someone new comes along, let this person in. Don’t be so afraid of future heartbreak that you can’t enjoy your life now. Even if it’s a small crush, it’s okay to feel something for someone new.
This will take time, so be patient. You may not be able to keep yourself from thinking about your old love for a while. However, as long as you focus on yourself and don’t allow yourself to give in to depression and pessimism, you will eventually start to let go. It will take longer to move on depending on how long your relationship lasted. Be patient with yourself and don’t force yourself to move on too fast.
This isn’t to say that you need to stop thinking about this person altogether. You can hold memories of this person dear in your heart. However, they shouldn’t be something that interferes with your life. They should be a source of gentle tenderness and nostalgia — like thoughts of a beloved relative who has long since passed away.
