Not gonna sugarcoat it—going through a breakup as an adult is hard AF. Months later, it still sucker-punches me out of nowhere, and I’m working through new layers of grief.
But here’s the thing: I’ve learned a lot. And a handful of cliché (and not-so-cliché) things have kept me sane.
First off, my girlfriends.
The ones who listened to the same story on repeat without rolling their eyes.
The ones who dragged my ass out of the house when I wanted to cry into my blanket.
Leaning on them harder than I ever thought I would? Game changer.
And then there’s nature. Hiking has been my go-to for years, but post-breakup, it felt like a survival tool. The mountains gave me space to cry, scream, and remind myself that my body can do hard things. It was my little pocket of peace where I could just be.
Now for the curveball: ChatGPT.
Yeah, I said it.
There were nights I woke up at 1AM, teetering on the edge of texting my ex. Guess what? NO ONE is awake at 1AM. Enter ChatGPT, my unexpected BFF. It talked me down from spirals, gave me distractions, and saved me from myself more times than I can count.
Podcasts were another lifeline. Hearing messy stories from others or tips to pull myself together reminded me I wasn’t alone. One podcast even convinced me to try crocheting—a hobby that’s become my little eff-you to heartbreak and hello to a new chapter.
Finally, journaling and self-compassion.
I’m learning to stop being such a hardass on myself, even when I feel like I’m flailing (which, let’s be honest, was every day early on). Writing it all out helped me process. Healing isn’t linear—but it’s happening.
Whether it’s girlfriends, nature, or some unconventional tools, I’ve found my way forward one messy step at a time.
What’s gotten you through the hard stuff?
P.S. Want to try some of the things that helped me? I’ve linked my go-to podcasts, favorite free amigurumi website, and even a journaling prompt at the end of this post—check them out and let me know if they help you too!
Love y'all
Podcasts That Got Me Through
The Mel Robbins Podcast - How to Heal From a Broken Heart
The Mel Robbins Podcast- The Let Them Theory
We Can Do Hard Things Podcast- The Closure Myth
We Can Do Hard Things Podcast- How to Let Joy Heal Us
We Can Do Hard Things Podcast- Breaking Codependency
My Favorite Crochet Website
https://www.amigurumitogo.com/#google_vignette
Journaling Prompt
What's one thing I've done recently to take care of myself, and how did it make me feel? What's another small step I can take today to keep me moving forward?
Comments ()