HOW TO MOVE ON FROM PAST RELATIONSHIPS

With reminders of your ex all around, going through a breakup is tough. Give grieving a break and get a fresh start in the new year with these tips.

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FOCUS ON WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE (SPOILER ALERT – A LOT!)
When we go through a breakup (especially if we did not initiate it), our self-esteem takes a huge blow. According to psychologist Guy Winch, you should focus on what you value in yourself and what you brought to the relationship.

Breakups are devastating, and it can be hard to sport your positive qualities at first. Take time to think about them, write them down and keep reading them. Reach out to your loved for support – they will jump at the opportunity to bombard you with your most commendable traits. All you have to do is believe them.

TAKE A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
Innocently scrolling through your ex's Instagram can easily send you into a spiral if you spot something unsavoury on their profile (we've all been there). “If someone is struggling through a breakup and fixated on their ex, staying actively engaged in the relationship through social media will make it harder to move forward and the recovery will take longer," says clinical psychologist Dr Cortney Warren.

With that said, take a social media detox. Delete the apps if you don’t have the willpower to stay off them and replace the time you spent scrolling with a new hobby. Try a new exercise routine, connect with long-lost friends or finally read that dusty book on the shelf.

TRY OUT NEW PLACES
Do all your favourite spots remind you of your previous partner? Then perhaps it’s time to start looking for a new morning coffee spot (yes, their cappuccino tastes just as good), another gym and grocery store. By breaking away from your usual routine, you’ll soon discover different (and better) locations and memories of your ex won’t come rushing back each time you go there.

"Once a week, find a coffee shop or a restaurant you've never been to and invite at least one friend to go with you," says psychotherapist Mary Jo Rapini.



SPEND TIME WITH YOUR NEAREST AND DEAREST
Post-breakup is when you find who your nearest and dearest truly are. A relationship is hard work and takes up a lot of your time, so reconnect with loved ones you haven’t seen while you were in your relationship bubble. Make new memories with friends and visit your family more often. By filling your life with the best people and creating new memories, it will become easier to filter your ex from your life. And you'll realise just how full your circle is without them!