When Does Coping After a Breakup Get Easier?

I keep hearing that coping with my breakup will get easier in time. And here I sit…waiting for that day to come. Exactly when does coping after a breakup get easier? Is there anything I can do to hurry the process along?

It isn't easy to deal with an unwanted, or unexpected, breakup. There isn't anything at all easy about the entire process. Most people would agree that it is downright difficult – and that is on a good day. But there are some things you can do that will help you get through the dark days of the beginning and make the transition to murky grey days before moving on to brighter days ahead.

It does take time. And, it will get easier. But, you're hurting now and you want the pain to end. There are a few steps you can take that will help it seem easier to cope with your breakup. Try them out for yourself and see what a difference they make in your relationship.

1) Stop staring at painful reminders day in and day out. You may not be able to stand the thought of getting rid of them completely – and you don't have to – but you can box them up and get them out of sight. Put them in the back of a closet or give the box to a trusted friend or family member to hang onto them for you. Just get those things that remind you of your ex out sight and out of mind.

2) Try a little change of scenery. If you can't afford to get away for a week or a weekend alone (or with friends), consider painting your walls or rearranging the furniture so that your home looks different. It's amazing how much a new way of looking at things can help you make the mental shift from the way things were to a new attitude about love, life, and your ex.

3) Start making plans to get your ex back. You have no idea how much of a difference having a sense of purpose will make in your life at a time like this. It's an amazing difference when you're actively making plans so do the one thing your heart has been begging you to do from the moment your ex walked out the door.

These are small and simple steps you can take that will make a huge difference in how you well you are able to cope with your breakup. It might not be any easier when confronted with the fact that you have broken up but you'll have fewer moments when you feel as though you've been sucker punched with the pain that breaking up has caused. You just might find that you are able to either save your relationship or your sanity.