Nov 23

Nov 23 Moving forward after a difficult relationship

Article, Mental Health, Relationships, Resilience

Moving forward after a difficult relationship is challenging - regardless of whether the relationship was with a significant other, a friend or family. Sometimes, you may feel confused, hurt, angry or many mixed emotions at the same time. Adopting healthy coping mechanisms can help you sort through these emotions and get closer to feeling stronger and happier.

Read to learn more about moving forward after a difficult relationship.

Give yourself time. Relationships, especially romantic or those with family members, become deeply integrated into your life. Give yourself time to learn how to live without that person. Try a new hobby or activity out of your comfort zone for a healthy distraction from this difficult time.

Spend time with close friends and family. Spending time with people who love you offers a great distraction while boosting your self-esteem. Try inviting them over to your home to establish a new sense of normalcy.
Seek support. Seeking outside support from a group or a trained professional can be an excellent option for moving forward. Support groups are great for keeping loneliness at bay, while a professional counselor or therapist can help you learn personalized coping skills.
Engage in activities. Sometimes, in a complicated or difficult relationship, you can lose yourself and forget what activities and hobbies you enjoy. Take time to reengage in those activities or start something new like candle making or woodworking.
Avoid contacting the person. Reaching out to the person you were with can be tempting, especially when feelings of loneliness arise. However, avoiding or limiting contact is crucial to moving forward. Try muting them on social media for 30 days or unfollowing them altogether. If cutting contact isn’t an option, try to only interact when necessary, at least until some time has passed and you have begun forming a new life.

Be kind to yourself during this difficult transition. Working through painful memories and feelings about someone you care about is challenging. Still, sometimes it’s necessary for both individuals to be able to lead healthier, happier lives.