19 Things Everyone Should Do After A Break-Up

Step away from your ex's Twitter feed.

1. Change your bedsheets.

instagram.com

Get a brand new start with brand-new sheets. Not only will it revamp your bedroom chi, it'll make sure you're not remembering those Sunday morning cuddles or worse, getting any whiffs of your former bed buddy.

2. Hide your ex from all social feeds ASAP.

instagram.com

No matter how tempting it is to analyse every tweet and agonise over that cutie they've just FB-friended, DON'T DO IT. It will only make you feel even worse, and have you obsessing over every detail. Unfriend, block, or if you're not ready for something that permanent, hide them from your newsfeed.

And if you're worried you won't have the willpower to not take a sneaky peek, ask a friend to change all your passwords while you take a social media break.

3. Create a break-up playlist.

instagram.com

You're doing fine, then boom: "Your" song is blaring through your headphones and now you're weeping on the train at rush hour. Save yourself from unwelcome memories with a break-up playlist full of empowering, feel-good songs. Taylor Swift should feature heavily.

4. Let yourself be sad.

Disney / Via giphy.com

Don't bottle up your emotions. Sadness, obsessing, and full-blown crying fits are all ways our brains deal with emotional upheaval, and pretending you're fine when you're not will have the same effect as a pressure cooker. Set times to let all your pent-up feelings loose, whether it's on your own with Celine Dion on full whack, or with your best friend after two bottles of wine.

5. Go on an ex detox.

instagram.com

Thirty days without your ex. No texts, no calls, no emojis, no carrier doves. No. Contact. Jumping straight from a relationship to friendship is a shock to the system, and can lead to a lot of fallout (accidental hook-ups, sudden fights, spontaneous crying fits, etc). Give yourself some distance to sort out how you feel on your own, and to figure out whether a friendship could work.

6. Try out a new look you've always wanted to rock.

instagram.com

Disclosure: Do this AT LEAST a week after breaking up. Many a post-relationship makeover has been done in the heat of the moment and sorely regretted later. But the break-up haircut is cliche for a reason, and changing up your look dramatically can be hugely cathartic. After breaking up with a long-term boyfriend, I chopped my near waist-length hair to a bob, and immediately felt like my former relationship had been cut away with it.

For a less permanent switch-up, just go a bit wild at the make-up counter and try some new colours – after all, if you don't like your new deep purple lip, it washes off.

7. Post a killer new profile pic.

instagram.com

You've got your amazing new look – time to show it off.

Endless pics of your fabulous new single life can look forced (and aren't that hard to see through). All you need to show your ex what they'll be missing is one on-fleek profile picture update that's the equivalent of a social media mic drop.

8. Ask a friend to hold on to your keepsakes and mementos.

instagram.com

Like a haircut, many keepsakes have been destroyed in the post-break-up fallout, only to be mourned later. You never know how you might feel in the future, and sometimes memories from the good times can be a lovely thing to have.

Leave your mementos with a friend so you won't be tempted to destroy them (or sob over them)... then decide later if you really want to host a bonfire in your back garden.

9. Get your heart rate up.

instagram.com

Hit the gym, go for a run, or take up HulaFit. Whatever it takes to get those mood-boosting endorphins pumping. Plus, think how great you'll feel in a few weeks with your new ultra-fit bod. Win.

10. Have some cat cuddles.

youtube.com / Via giphy.com

Animals help you heal emotionally. Fact. So it's totally necessary to borrow any and all pets in the immediate vicinity ASAP – in the interest of your emotional health, obviously.

Don't go out and adopt a new animal to fill a void, though – take some time and make sure you know what you're ready to handle!

11. Party with your BFFs.

Remee Patel/ BuzzFeed

There's nothing like putting on your sexiest clothes and heading out to a drunken, sweaty party for a head rush. You're single, you're free, and you can drink as much as you want and grind against whoever you want (within reason), without having to worry about your other half.

Don't forget to take care of yourself, though. A night out is a great way to let off steam, but continually drowning your sorrows in booze isn't a good idea.

12. Get your flirt on.

instagram.com

You can't heal heartbreak by jumping into a new fling, but there's nothing wrong with reminding yourself there's still life out there. Extremely attractive life. Extremely attractive life that flirts back and makes you feel like being a free agent ain't so bad after all.

13. Go on a trip.

instagram.com

Where have you always wanted to go? Go there. Now. Even better if you didn't go because your ex wasn't that fussed on it. Now you're free to travel wherever the hell you want. Whether on your own or with a friend, there's something incredibly healing about getting away from it all for a week or so. Extra points if you switch your phone off for the duration.

14. Don't be afraid to stay in.

NBC / Via giphy.com

Don't underestimate the power of a night watching Friends reruns and eating bucketloads of pizza. Nights out are great, but too much drinking, dancing, and inappropriately rubbing yourself on strangers can take its toll. Don't be afraid to tell your mates that tonight you'll be eating cheese on your couch, and they can either join you or leave you to it.

Plus, the one major perk of being single? You have full control over all television, film, and takeout choices.

15. Get outside of your comfort zone.

instagram.com

It doesn't have to be as extreme as skydiving! It could be going to a bar on your own, joining a new exercise class, or even just striking up a conversation with a stranger. Prove to yourself that you can still push your boundaries and strike out on your own, and embrace the confidence boost that comes with it.

16. Start reading an amazing book.

instagram.com

Like I Don't Care About Your Band by Julie Klausner, This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz, or High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. There's no better way to forget your troubles than losing yourself in a good book (that and vodka). There's more great post-heartbreak suggestions right here.

17. Pour your heart out to your best friend.

Disney/ Lilo and Stitch

Don't isolate yourself from your friends. If you're uncomfortable speaking about the break-up, pick just one trusted friend to talk it over with. You'll be surprised how much it helps. Your best friend is there for you no matter what, and can be an amazing source of support while you muddle through what you're feeling.

Even if things don't get that emotional, it's worth letting them know either way what you need from them, be it space to chill or a crazy night out.

18. Appreciate the positive things about your relationship.

instagram.com

It's easy to wish you'd never laid eyes on your ex, and saved yourself a whole load of heartache. But every relationship fundamentally shapes you as a human being.

Love the person that you are now, and understand that your ex helped you become that person, whether directly or indirectly. They helped fill in a chapter of your complex life story, so remember the parts of your relationship that enriched you, as well as the bad.

19. Forgive and forget.

Morgan Creek Productions / Via helnnhappy.tumblr.com

Anger is a double-edged sword. As long as you bear someone a grudge, it will eat away at you, and stop you being truly happy. Forgiveness doesn't necessarily mean letting someone into your life again, or giving back trust that's been lost. It does mean letting go of your resentment and moving on with your life and hoping they move on with theirs too.