Moving On After Loss: How to Break Out of Your Heartbreak

Missing the Only Person That I Have Loved: How to Move On

Moving on from a past relationship is never easy. Dealing with the pain and confusion of being without the one that you’ve loved can take its toll on your mental and emotional state. Whether you just got out of an unhealthy relationship or you lost a special someone who was truly a part of your life, it’s important to remember that time will heal everything. Here are some tips to help you make it out of the dark days and start looking to the future with love in your heart.

Above all, it’s important to give yourself the time and space you need to heal. It may feel like it’ll take forever, but giving yourself the self-love and care that you need in order to get through this difficult time will be more than worth it in the end. Fight off the negative self-talk and let yourself fall apart slowly. Don’t force yourself to be okay when you’re not. Acknowledge that this is a experience that can hurt and acknowledge that it's entirely within the realm of normal.

Focus on you. Too often, we become so wrapped up in our relationships that we can forget that we’re individuals. Reclaim your life outside of relationships by talking a class, investing in a hobby or participating in extracurricular activities. You don’t have to become entirely self-sufficient immediately. Give yourself time to grieve. However, it’s important to have a purpose of your own and to stay in tune with hobbies, passions and goals that don’t involve any sort of romantic attachment. Lean on people that you know will stick with you through thick and thin during these difficult times. Friends, family and therapists can be absolutely invaluable in helping you learn how to forgive and let go.

Once you’ve started to get your life back in order, it’s time to start thinking about the future. Sure, it can be easy to dwell on past mistakes and regrets, but try to think of what you could have done differently and what traits you would look for in a partner down the line. Consider volunteering, trying out a new hobby or embracing a lifestyle change. When you open yourself up to something new, it’s exciting and can make your outlook seem more positive.

It’s hard to imagine at first, but eventually, the person you lost will fade away and other things will take their place. You’ll still remember them fondly and if they continue to linger in your thoughts, that’s ok too. This can take some of the edge off the sadness and allow you to move forward more gracefully. Know that you don’t ever have to forget someone in order to love them, either. Take comfort in the fact that your feelings will never go away and that you can still keep this person in your heart even if they’re no longer here.

When you move on, it’s vital to remember that this doesn’t mean that you’ve forgotten your lost loved one—instead, it’s all about respecting them, honoring them and finding a new direction and perspective. Once you can accept that the love you shared, even if it is broken and gone, was real, beautiful and had its place, you’ll be able to move on and start the next chapter of your life.