As if regular breakups aren’t hard enough, adding the words “best friend” into the equation can be even more heartbreaking.
If you’ve had the displeasure of breaking things off with a bestie, you know that things don’t exactly go back to normal when all is said and done – there’s a healing process. People deal with sadness in different ways, so here are a few ways to take care of yourself after a friendship breakup.
give yourself room to be sad
Sadness doesn’t go away overnight, so you need to allow yourself to feel your feelings. Ignoring the pain only prolongs it. Reflect on the good and bad aspects of the friendship. Where did it go wrong? What can you do to prevent similar outcomes in future relationships? Use the reflections to your advantage!
put your phone away
Too often we completely disregard the amount of time that we spend checking our phones throughout the day. When going through an emotional time like a breakup, we can get glued to our phones, re-read conversations, and refresh our socials to see if someone in particular has reached out. It does way more harm than good. A screen break is a brain break, and they are ultra-beneficial during difficult times.
keep in touch with family and other friends
Your loved ones are there to love you! Use that to your advantage. Reach out to a friend and ask to grab lunch or run an errand together. Seek out some advice if you need to. Some people don’t do well grieving alone. If that’s you, then keep in mind that you don’t need to go through this alone.
don’t skip your self care routines
Depressing times call for depressing measures, and sometimes that means skipping out on some of your daily rituals. The one ritual you should never skip, if you can help it, is your self-care. Neglecting your self-care routine is neglecting yourself. If you’re already in pain from someone else, why put yourself through more suffering? What did your skin ever do to you? The last thing you need is an unwelcome breakout. Other people can only do so much to console and comfort you, the rest is up to you. Healing is ultimately a path that you must walk yourself down. Do it right!
start listening to a new podcast
In the age of podcasts, informational advice is unlimited and easily accessible. So many themed podcasts lay waiting to be listened to on platforms such as Spotify or the Apple Podcast app. There are endless counseling podcasts that deal with everything from breakups to relationships. If you’re not in the mood to listen to music, perhaps try listening to other people talk about similar issues with resolutions that can be explored. There are so many listening possibilities, so why not give some a try?
remember that you’re still deserving of love and friendship
A major effect of heartbreak is the lingering feeling that we aren’t good enough and that we’re not worthy of the love and affection that we lost or were searching for. I’m here to tell you that that’s anything but the truth. Don’t let the end of your friendship convince you that you cannot preserve another one down the road. Everyone is worthy of love and friendship. Again, use the experience of a past relationship to help you improve your future ones. Healing is imperative in moving on! Remember to give yourself love!