DIY Breakup

I think for the most part we can all agree that break ups suck, whether you're the one that does the breaking or on the receiving end of the "good-bye". If it was a long relationship it leads to a complete transformation in our life. We lose mutual friends, communication becomes strangled if some friends decide to stick it out with both parties, and we lose the constant companion that we did have. (If we're being honest, sometimes the loss of the constant companion is a good thing. You'll come to realize it was the memories that you missed and not indeed the person since there's a reason you broke up. One of you changed, maybe both).

Instead of laying around moping though, there are some far more productive things you can be doing. The goal isn't to get over the one you thought you would love forever, but instead find a stable place within yourself so that life doesn't come as such a shock now that you're going it alone. If that sounds harsh, I apologize, but being alone isn't all that terrible. (Think of the money you're going to save, the extra sleep you'll get without someone snoring in your ear, the amount of time you'll have to focus on your hobbies!).

After a break-up things may be a little...unsettled. Our moods swing as though they're on a pendulum. So the first step in handling our break up on our own without reaching out to those dreaded mutual friends is to find a way to relax. If hiking isn't your thing or if you live in a super suburban area where you can't get five minutes to yourself try yoga right before bed. Don't waste your money on one of those mats. Just make sure a spot is clean and try to relax. Exercise right before bed! While your body is working your mind is taking a vacation (healing itself while you're busy working). Personally I have found planking to be a great way to try and quiet the traffic in the mind. (Also, it has been proven that exercise can fight the risk of depression and while you're working on that you're also reducing your risk of heart disease, so many perks of handling your break up in a healthy manner instead of drowning in a bottle of alcohol).

Post bedtime exercise there are other ways to occupy the brain. Break out the books. Read for education, entertainment, and thought. Find a Jane Austen novel and look for the hidden message. Leave notes in the margins. Read something new! Wander down to the used book store and pull out a poetry anthology by various poets or a singular one. I suggest reading a Jane Austen chapter a night, learn from her characters, and look for the meaning behind actions and location.

If you do in fact live in a quiet area, where you can wander from your house without bumping into another individual, take yourself out for a jog or even a walk. Running has numerous health benefits, other than on your body, and can aid in cell growth in the hippocampus (the area of the brain responsible for learning and memory).

Find other hobbies and through these you can improve your life. Don't abandon old ones entirely. Try writing your own poem, pick up a paint brush, a watering can, or even look for a musical instrument. Life is about experiences. If you didn't learn anything from your failed relationship you should at least be able to tell people you learned from the experiences associated with the unavoidable end.