She recently called quits on her seven year marriage to Kanye West, and now Kim Kardashian has been spotted letting her hair down at Beverly Hills restaurant Matsuhisa with her sister Kourtney, seemingly marking her first outing since she filed for divorce.
Getting over an ex is never easy, and even if you know the break-up was right for you, and even if it’s amicable, moving on can still be difficult.
If this sounds familiar, here are some ways to heal from heartbreak in a healthy and lasting way…
1. Get off social media
Thanks to Instagram and Facebook, it’s really easy to track what your ex is up to and worry about whether they’ve moved on. It can become all too easy to monitor everything they post and it rarely helps your mental state to keep tabs on them.
For your own sanity, it’s a good idea to take a social media break while you work through the heartbreak. Even if you unfriend your ex, there’s always the chance a mutual friend might post something triggering, so it’s best to step away entirely for a while.
2. Cleanse your home of their possessions
We’re not suggesting you burn everything in a moving on ritual, but returning an ex’s belongings – or at least moving them out of sight – can help to rid your space of small daily reminders of them.
Whether it’s their record collection that’s gathering dust, or photos of the two of you from happier times, box everything up and bring your home up to date with your relationship status.
3. Don’t contact them
In the immediate aftermath of a break-up, it can be tempting to text your ex and tell them you miss them, even though you know deep down the relationship won’t work.
The grief can be so all consuming you’ll do anything to soothe it – including sending desperate pleas to get back together, or hurtful messages of blame and anger.
When it comes to parting with an ex and getting over it properly, the no contact rule really can work. Delete their number if it helps you to stick to the plan. Of course, if you share children this will be nigh on impossible – instead, try to keep contact brief, civil and to the point.
4. Don’t rebound
A new partner can be an exciting comfort blanket in the wake of a devastating break-up, but often you’re just masking the hurt and avoiding facing your uncomfortable feelings head on.
These new relationships are usually destined to fail, as you’re not in the right headspace to start something new and are often just rushing into it, effectively replacing your old partner with a new one. Consider taking some time alone.
5. Try something new
Break-ups are fantastic opportunities for self discovery, so dwell on all the good things that can come from being single again.
Allow yourself this time to explore who you are and what you want from life. You could sign up for a learning course, take on a fitness challenge or start planning an exciting solo trip for the future.
6. Give yourself time to grieve
One reason why break-ups are often messy and involve several rounds of getting back together (and inevitably parting again), is that people don’t give themselves enough time to adequately heal.
As the old saying goes, time heals all wounds. Visualising a future without your old flame can really help you work towards a fulfilling life on your own, and in time, you’ll start to feel like you could imagine yourself sharing life with someone new.
