5 Ways to Get Over Your Ex
If there's one thing that we can all agree on, it's that breakups are hard.
Whether you're the person who decides to initiate the breakup or the person being broken up with, it's a tough time that involves a lot of confusing emotions and difficult situations. It also leaves you with one key thing: an ex. It doesn't matter if it's your first breakup or your 50th—getting over your ex can often be the most difficult part of a breakup. This is especially true when you're young, as you're more likely to run into your ex regularly either through mutual friends, in class or any other casual setting that you both might end up in.
While we can't (unfortunately) wave a magic wand that makes you miraculously get over your ex in an instant, we can help you out by giving you this list of ways to get over your ex. Let's start with:
1. Focus On Your Friends
When you're in a relationship, it can be all too easy to fall head over heels and forget about your friends in the process. Even if you were good and didn't end up ditching your friends regularly to hang out with your partner during your relationship, one of the best ways to get over the ending of that relationship is by surrounding yourself with those people who will always your back: your friends. They know how to comfort you and even how to distract you if that's what's best for you, and they can help you move on a whole lot faster.
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Also read about: How to Navigate Your Friendships When Your Friends Break Up
2. Spend Time With Your Family
Remember what makes you you by spending some truly quality time with your family. Sure, there might be some uncomfortable talks at first when you have to let them know that you and your ex have broken up, but spending time with them is a healthy distraction that they'll surely appreciate as well (especially if you'll soon be going away to college or you've already left).
3. Do a Social Media Cleanse
We're not necessarily talking about totally deleting Instagram and TikTok if they're a major part of your life, but deleting, blocking or at least muting your ex (and thinking about deleting any photos you have with them) is a difficult but extremely healthy way to move forward when it comes to getting over them. Seeing their stories pop up or looking for their name when searching the people who have viewed your story will only remind you of them and make the pain linger—not to mention tempt you towards the terror that is sending them an actual message.
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4. Remember That You Broke Up For a Reason
While it may be hard to believe (especially while the wound of the breakup is still fresh), try to remind yourself that everything happens for a reason—and usually, it happens for the better. It doesn't matter if it was you who decided to ends things or them, either way someone decided things needed to end. It can be easy to start thinking about all the good times you had together and ruminate on those moments, but you also need to tell yourself that you will move on and find something better in the future.
Also read about: 4 Signs It's Time to Break Up
5. Get Really Good At Being Single
Despite what the media (and some of your toxic friends) might make you think, being single is not a bad thing. It's not some curse that you need to shake off or a condition that needs to be cured, but rather a way to learn more about yourself and what makes you happy so that you can fill your life with plenty of things other than a relationship. Codependency isn't cute, but loving your life as it is at every moment certainly is—whether you have a romantic partner or not.
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Need a little help getting started on No. 5? Don't worry, we've got your guide to becoming really good at being single, and you can read it right now by clicking HERE.