Heartbreak—we’ve all been there.

The one we care for has just decided they no longer desire to continue on the same path as ours. Our journey together is over; sometimes without warning. (Although, warning doesn’t necessarily make it any easier.)

The heavenly angels above know I’ve had more than my share of heartbreak. But with each one, I get a little wiser, a little stronger and I learn something new about building up after breaking down.

Go for a walk.

Get up, get outside and get your legs moving. Walking has been shown to relax the body, reduce stress and improve mood.

A 20-minute walk allows me enough time with my thoughts that, by the end, I’ve either calmed them down or gotten rid of them altogether. Plus, I get a natural high from being outside in the fresh air.

Gratitude.

Write a list of three things you’re grateful for. Even when you’re feeling hopeless, there are still at least three things to be grateful for. You might even surprise yourself.

My list looks something like this:

I am grateful for:

1.  Breath—without it, I would not be here.

2.  The warm feeling of the sun as it kisses my skin.

3.  Being single—the opportunity to focus on the things that truly make me happy.

The list can be as long or as short as you want it to be. Adding detail to the list can help enhance the moment.

Sometimes I make a mental list while on my walk; I look around at all the beauty that’s around me and list off all the things I’m grateful for.

Stop talking about it.

Okay, so maybe we can’t stop thinking about it; but we can stop talking about it.

Our friends, co-workers and the clerk at the grocery store are all tired of hearing us ruminate about the same thing. It’s not that they don’t love us and care about us, but they do want to talk about something other than our misery.

Once we stop talking about it, we’ll notice that we start to feel better about it too because we aren’t reliving every possible scenario.

There is no reason.

Once we come to the realization that there may not be a reason why, or an answer, or a conclusion, we can begin to let go and move on. Not everything in life comes with an answer.

We think that if we have an answer we’ll feel better, but the reality is that even if we were given an answer it wouldn’t be good enough and we’d question it as well. By continuing to look for a solution or a reason why, we’re only contributing to our own suffering. Sometimes we just have to accept things as they are, for what they are.

Have compassion for yourself.

We’re human; we’re allowed to have feelings and emotions. Acknowledge them, but don’t let them consume you. If you’re feeling sad, allow yourself to feel sad; maybe even set aside some time to be sad.

Allow yourself time to cry. Crying is an excellent way to release built up emotions. I like to get into a hip-opener like pigeon or fire log, close my eyes and just breathe until I feel the emotional release.

Most importantly, remember that we’re all human. We all experience hurt and pain at some point in our lives. The good news is you will survive, but it is up to you to determine your recovery time.

Don’t be afraid to open your heart and let love flow.

It’s a beautiful thing to experience heartbreak, as without it we wouldn’t be able to recognize and appreciate love in its pure form.

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Assistant Editor: Lauren Savory / Editor: Bryonie Wise

Photo: elephant archives