How to let go of someone you love

1. Let go of the idea of ‘forever’ and ‘what could have been’. Acknowledge when a relationship has reached its end/ can no longer work/ be saved.

2. Stop idealising/ romanticising the past. Focus less on the moments of happiness and more on the times things went wrong/ did not work out. Remember why it needed to end.

3. Embrace all the hard, messy, conflicting emotions. 

Accept that:

• It is possible to love someone and know that they are not right for you. 
• It is possible to love someone and know that they are not long term compatible with you. 
• It is possible to love someone and accept that they cannot give you what you need.
• It is possible to love someone and choose to walk away

4. This will hurt like hell but - acknowledge that if they wanted to stay, they would. If they wanted to work things out, they would. And if they have already moved on - you should too.

5. There will be days that feel hard, then better, then hard again - hard then better, then hard again. 

Give.

It.

Time.

The weight will lift and the pain will fade.

6. Do not hesitate to go 100% no- contact if you need to, delete old pictures and texts. Unfollow them on social media. Block them from your contacts. Do not stalk them or their new life. Do not attempt to be ‘just friends’.

7. Go fully extra on self-care and self-exploration. 

Ask yourself:

• How do you feel?
• How did the relationship make you feel?
• What made you feel valued?
• What made you feel diminished?
• What do you really need?
• What is one thing you can do to meet your own needs?

We all lose part of ourselves in a broken relationship. Use this time to discover and reclaim yourself.

8. No matter how hard or impossible it feels right now, get rid of the idea that they are the only one for you. There is always somebody else (who will actually reciprocate in the way that you deserve). Go out there and make new friends/ meet new people.