As Simple as One, Two, Three: Staying Healthy After a Breakup
Breaking up, it’s been said, is hard to do. Well, for some people. For others it’s no less stress-inducing than getting caught in traffic on the way to work. Keep in mind that no matter where you fall on the broken-heart-o-meter, you can still maintain some control on your grieving, the physicality of relationship-trauma and its impact on your well-being.
Hey, We All Get Hurt
Anyone who tells you different is lying. The sometimes painful challenge for both sexes is to come to grips with the loss. Researchers of the game say that allowing some time to grieve is perfectly healthy and also encouraged. Now whether that grieving plays itself out over a beer with friends, or while watching 200 back-to-back episodes of Friends is entirely up to you, but the smart money says not to ignore the ache in your heart. Recognize, deal with it and move on. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but we’re all adults here. We all know that a relationship is an investment of time and energy (and probably money) but just like the economy, you will bounce back.
Hit the Gym
This probably comes as no surprise, but physical activity is a stress-buster. Running, lift weights, shadow boxing, swimming, whatever gets your heart pumping is a good thing and is key to staying healthy after a breakup, because aerobic activity releases endorphins which are the “feel good” chemicals the body natural produces. And if ever there was a time for your body to start pumping out feel-good chemicals, it’s after a nasty break-up. What better time than now to get a membership at the YMCA. And guess what, getting back to or continuing going to the gym keeps you in contact with people. And contact is good.
Time for That Bucket List
Relationships, oddly enough, take up a LOT of one’s time. All those great things you used to do while you were single slowly get whittled down. As the relationship matures the “Me” things turn into “We” things and some of the activities you enjoyed the most simply get put on the back-burner. Well, guess what, finding yourself suddenly single provides a great opportunity to do the things that interest you once again. Maybe it’s those tango lessons you were dreaming about, or community service at your church or tutoring kids or adults or….doing ANYTHING is actually better than doing NOTHING. So get that bucket list of things to do and just DO IT. Before you lose another day of your life.
Head Out the Door
This actually has a lot to do with the grieving process. It is SO easy to stay indoors and wallow in pity after the crash-and-burn phase of the abruptly-ended relationship. The solution for staying healthy after a breakup? Head out the door. Take the first step. Go to a poetry reading or a movie or a concert but get out and get some fresh air. Getting out forces you to set a schedule and manage your time. The days will go by quicker and that is what you want: a minimum of downtime that involves self-pity.
A New Day, Baby
Of course it is hard. Your long-term plans just got de-railed but you can turn the negatives into a positive. You CAN stay healthy after a breakup by keeping organized, making goals and following through. It’s time for a new day and the day is now all about you!
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Hammerin Man
