Imagine this: you’ve finally found someone who you could potentially see yourself with. You go on a few dates and the vibe feels right for you. They drop you off at your house and promise to make plans again in the future. You suddenly start to find yourself waiting by the phone for a text, call, snapchat anything and you never hear from them again. Most of you have probably been there before. It feels confusing, and upsetting, and you rack your brain trying to figure out why. Luckily, there are some ways to cope that can make dating more of a self-love journey than a self-destructive one.
- Don’t spend too much time wondering why
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Initially, it’s natural to wonder why someone would ghost. It’s also natural to wonder what you could’ve done wrong but this can become a slippery slope. Instead it’s better to realize that ghosting speaks volumes about the integrity of person who ghosted, and doesn’t say anything about you or your character. Be glad that you found out that this person wasn’t right for you before the relationship progressed!
- surround yourself with friends
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Self-isolating after being ghosted can cause a feeling of intense loneliness so it’s good to be around loved ones who are willing to listen to you and comfort you. This can serve as a reminder of what healthy relationships look like and you can reflect on how that might look in romantic relationships moving forward!
- try journaling about how it makes you feel
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Journaling can help relieve intense emotional pain because it allows you to reflect on your experience and forgive yourself for being sad. The act of writing your feelings out on paper can not only relieve acute emotional pain but also serve as a reminder in the future of what to look for when you do get involved with someone else.
- work on yourself
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Working on yourself looks a little different for everybody, so here are some tips to help you focus your self-care practice! You should cut out any mind-altering substances such as drugs or alcohol because while these seem like a good temporary fix they can seriously damage your mental health. Working out is a good way to get those endorphins up and help you feel more self-confident. If you are a spiritual person, attending worship services or doing anything that makes you feel more connected to your faith can help as well! Most importantly, congratulate yourself on the little things such as getting up and getting your day started or finishing your homework at a reasonable time.
- come to peace with the situation
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This one is definitely easier said than done. Letting go is the final step in moving on and in order to do this, you need to forgive yourself for feeling sad. You really need to allow yourself to heal on your own time. Don’t rush or berate yourself for not moving on fast enough because that will make the process go slow. Just know that time will heal all so in the meantime, do the best you can to shower yourself with love and learn more about yourself!