Finding Joy After a Breakup

I know it can be difficult to pick up the pieces after a heartbreak. Depending on what happened, when, and how sudden or unexpected it was, you may feel like it’s impossible to be happy again after having your heartbroken. But being happy is possible. Here are some of the steps I’ve taken to rediscover happiness and start healing from heartbreak.

Accept What Happened

One of the biggest obstacles to healing happens when we either ignore the fact that we’ve been hurt, refuse to acknowledge it, or pretend like everything is fine. However, we go about it, as long as we avoid acceptance, we avoid real recovery, too.
You can tell you’re moving toward acceptance if: 

• You know you’ve been hurt, and you can express that hurt to someone you trust.
• You understand that the situation that broke your heart will have a lasting impact on you.
• You know that it is going to take a while for things to normalize and balance out again.

Acceptance doesn’t mean you have to be okay with heartbreak. It simply means you are allowing yourself to face it so you can find peace and healing.

Think Things Through

When I’m right in the middle of a heartbreak, it’s hard to think things through. But once I give myself time to consider my life as a whole, I realize some important things.

• I’ve been through heartbreak before and lived to talk about it.
• I’ve found happiness again after heartbreaking situations in my past.
• I’ve learned more about myself and my inner strength as a result of what I’ve been through.
• God did not abandon me, even when I felt I was at my lowest point.
  

When you have some alone time to process your heartbreak, or when you’re talking things over with a person you trust, you may be pleasantly surprised at just how strong you are and just how much happiness you’ve been able to find in the midst of life’s challenges.

Start Small

One of the best things about moving forward is, even if it only happens a little bit at a time, it still happens. You can start small when it comes to healing after heartbreak, and it will still make a big difference in the long run.

Try taking a few minutes a day to think or write about things, people, and places you love. That small shift to focusing on something positive will make the happy parts of your life easier to recall the more often you think about them.

Spend time with a friend. Friends are one of life’s greatest joys, and your friends want to be there for you when you’re going through a hard time. Invite a friend to coffee or a movie, ask them about their lives, their hopes, and their dreams. It will strengthen your friendship, and it may be key to helping you feel happier sooner.

If you feel like you’ve tried everything and are still unhappy, don’t give up. Talk to a HopeCoach at TheHopeLine and get extra support recovering from heartbreak. We’re here for you, and we believe you’ll find happiness again.

Can't eat or sleep because of a broken heart? Put the hurt behind you with these 5 ways to move forward from a broken heart to healing.