How to Get Over an Ex

The guide to reclaiming your dignity and moving on with your life

Let’s not kid ourselves, no matter how many times you experience them, break ups are always difficult.

Whether it’s your first time getting your heart smashed to bits, or you’re feeling that all-too-familiar ache again, break-ups are a jarring experience for which you can never really prepare.

Even in the case of initiating the break-up, picking up the pieces of your life without your ex is tough, especially the longer your relationship lasted.

Common sense/wisdom is that you’ll need half the time relationship lasted to get over it, but the aim of this guide is to get you back in working order in as little time as possible.

The key to getting over an ex is remembering the fact that you had a life before this relationship, one with laughter, happiness, and good memories, and realizing that you can have a life just as enjoyable after your ex too.

The Stages of Grief

For those of you that aren’t aware, the 5 stages of grief are a model developed to understand the emotions people commonly feel as they process traumatic events.

While everyone processes things a little bit differently, at our core, break ups tend to be emotionally de-stabilizing, and it’s important to allow yourself time to process the emotions of no longer having that person in your life.

Our instinct may be to dive head first into creating a new life for ourselves, and to begin the process of moving on immediately, but I want to reinforce that you are allowed to feel some of these things as you progress toward acceptance and eventual transcendence.

It’s alright to spend a few days, maybe weeks to take into account everything you’re feeling. You are NOT allowed to feel sorry for yourself, or cry out in anguish. You are not a victim, and you shouldn’t behave as such.

Again, each of us requires a different amount of time to process things, so once your “grief” period is over, it’s time for you step into the next (and most important) part of moving on.