We've all had that moment. You're talking to a guy and hanging out, and you start to realize that you have a lot in common. You enjoy spending time with them, and they seem to like being around you, too. Eventually, what you're sure are mutual feelings begin to develop. You begin to get intimate and basically date for a while. Then it happens:
The bombshell: "I'm just not into you that way."
Well now what? Aside from the even worse awkward realization that most all of your and his friends knew this (except for you of course), you're left with the hurt, embarrassment, but mostly, annoyance with yourself that you let this happen to you.
Only one thing to do right?
Wrong.
As easy as it is to let yourself fall into the "all by myself" pity party, it's just not worth it (trust me, been there done that). But what do you do? Well, here are five things that I've done when dealing with a break-up or misled crush (appropriate name, am I right?) that always get me back on track.
1. Don't watch the romantic movies.
As tempting as it is, romance movies will only make you feel worse. You'll find yourself sitting in bed, crying over chocolate and wondering why you can't sing duets with Ryan Gosling under a star-lit sky. Instead, I would recommend some other post-breakup movies that remind you of the strong, bada** you are.
2. Take care of yourself physically.
As amazing as comfort food is, chances are you most likely will end up being upset even more by all the pizza you ate and wine you drank after the break-up. Instead of allowing yourself to fall into the trap of eating junk and feeling sick, take this new time alone to work on yourself, for yourself. After all, the only person who should love you the most is yourself. But don't forget to treat yourself to ice cream every now and then :)
3. Listen to the right kind of music.
I love (is that the right word?) listening to sad music on a rainy day as much as the next heart-broken person does, but if I don't eventually change my music to a livelier beat, I stay in my post-breakup funk even longer. And that's never fun. How about after you get all your tears out of your system, change that sad drag into a power ballad that pumps you up and reminds you of how awesome you are (because trust me, you are).
4. Don't jump back into the dating-pool right away.
A friend of mine once told me that after her break-up, she asks herself "Would I be upset if my ex started dating again? If yes, then I'm not ready to start another relationship." Relationships of any kind always make an emotional impact. Don't kick yourself while you're still down.
5. Live your best life now.
Remember to take advantage of your time being single. It won't last forever, and there are certain things that you won't be able to do once in a serious relationship again. So in the meantime, anticipate the future with excitement, but don't forget to live your life. Grab your squad and have a girls' night or go for a road-trip, or visit a humane society and play with puppies. The world is yours, and with or without a man, you can make this the best life now.
