7 Things You Should ALWAYS Do After a Breakup

If you've ever experienced the harsh end of a romantic relationship then you know the age-old adage is true: Breakin' up is hard to do.

Whether it was a mutual parting of ways or an all-out brawl filled with hurtful accusations and tear-filled confessions, dealing with the aftermath of a split can be nearly as hard as the breakup itself.

So how can you effectively move past a failed relationship? Keep scrolling for 7 things you should always do after a breakup.

Cry It Out

First and foremost on the road to recovering from your breakup—give yourself time to grieve the relationship. Seriously, just let yourself ugly sob into your pillow for as long as you deem necessary. Everyone will tell you that you shouldn't wallow in your sadness, but we think a little wallowing is essential to effectively moving on. Not only will it allow you to fully release your hurt and pain, it also helps you acknowledge these emotions rather than trying to suppress them, which will definitely cause you more pain in the long run.

(Riverdale via The CW)

 

Eliminate All Contact With Your Ex

It might sound harsh, but in order to effectively move on from your breakup, you really need to eliminate all contact with your ex—at least for a little while. Your lack of communication doesn't have to be permanent, but it's important for each of you to take a little time to experience what the world is like without each other.

Creating separation between you and your ex will keep you from holding out hope for a reconciliation, and it will also stop you from revisiting disagreements that might delay your healing process. It might be hard to cut off someone that you truly care about, but it will definitely be better for both of you overall.

 

Just Say No to Social Media Stalking

Social media is not your friend when it comes to moving on from an ex. It's such an easy outlet to see exactly what your former S.O. is doing at all times of the day, which is so unhealthy for your recovery process. Whether you have a jealous side or not, seeing a picture of your newly single ex standing just a little too close to a new "friend" is hard for anyone.

You have to remember, however, that social media only gives you one side of the story. It's rare for people to post their bad moments on their virtual accounts, so if you're expecting to go on your ex's page and see paragraphs filled with their emotional struggles regarding your breakup, you're already setting yourself up for disappointment. It's unlikely that you'll find anything that makes you feel good on your ex's page after a breakup, so it's better to just say no to post-split stalking sessions.

(The Vampire Diaries via The CW)

 

Get Rid of Relationship Reminders

Much like eliminating all contact with your ex, ridding yourself of relationship reminders may seem a little harsh in your fragile post-breakup state. However, keeping reminders of your ex where you can easily see them has no positive impact on your emotional well-being. They will only serve to evoke memories of better times, which might cause you to wonder why you ever broke up in the first place, and no one needs to get started down that path.

Gifts, pictures, even mementos from trips the two of you took together should all be dealt with right after a breakup. If you're not willing to throw them away, at least stash them somewhere where you won't have to see them every day. You could even create a breakup box where you store all your precious memories until it either doesn't make you sad to look at them or the thought of throwing them away isn't unbearable. Either way, get those reminders out of the way A.S.A.P so you can start the difficult process of moving on.

 

Embrace Your Friendships

Friends should be your No. 1 priority following a breakup. It's important to get out of the house and stay busy to ensure that your sadness doesn't completely take over your life, and friends are the ultimate distraction. Plus, discussing the breakup with your friends can help you work through difficult emotions, and might even give you a whole new perspective on your failed relationship. Breakups might be difficult, but they do allow you much more time to strengthen and grow your most important friendships.

(Stranger Things via Netflix)

 

Make Time to Analyze the Relationship

Staying busy is definitely one way to heal during a breakup, but you shouldn't stay so busy that you don't allow yourself time to reflect on the relationship. Breakups might hurt, but they usually happen for a good reason, and you need to understand what's behind that reason. Take off the rose-colored glasses and make time to really look at the aspects of your relationship and where it went awry. Was your communication off? Was your trust a little rocky? Whatever the reasons might be, taking a good hard look at the not-so-great aspects of your relationship will help you move on from your ex and understand what you want to do differently in the future.

 

Celebrate Yourself

Breakups are rough, so taking time to treat yo'self is an absolute must. A failed relationship can have a huge impact on your self-esteem, causing you to wallow in negative thoughts and worries that you just aren't good enough. Recognizing that these bad vibes are just a product of your overly-emotional state is essential to your healing, so what better time to celebrate all the positive aspects of yourself? Buy a tub of your favorite ice cream, engage in a little retail therapy and reflect on all the great things you have to offer someone. If there's one positive we can glean from a bad breakup, it's that there's no better time to engage in a little "me time."

 

This is our go-to list of positive post-breakup actions, but what about breakup no-nos? Click HERE for six things you definitely shouldn't do after a breakup.