5 Ways to Do a Breakup Glow-Up if Your Relationship Has Ended Today

A breakup glow-up has been trending on TikTok for quite some time now (with over 16 billion views).

It’s a term people use when they pick themselves up after a rough breakup. It’s inspiring to see many women, especially, have done this rather than being stuck in the dark for a long time.

Most people move on from a breakup — that’s for sure. Because time will eventually heal the pain. But not many actually make significant changes in their lives after the breakup so they still cling to their past relationship.

But in breakup glow-up, you don’t just sit there and wait for you to feel normal again. You go above and beyond to make changes in your life so you can speed up your process to heal.

If you’re going through one, here’s how you can join the #breakupglowup and feel ready to date again:

1. Cut ties with your ex — in all forms

I don’t care how close you’re with his family, it’s time to focus on yourself. This means no hanging out with his sister, no checking his Instagram, and no keeping his stuff in your house.

Remove anything that relates to your ex. Out of sight, out of mind.

You may think it doesn’t bring any difference because you’re sane enough to remember that the relationship is over. Besides, throwing away that cute doll makes you feel bad.

But here’s the thing: your mind is still not used to the new reality yet. So the chance for you to crawl back into your ex when you have a mental breakdown is very high.

If you really can’t throw the stuff your ex gave you, at least pack them up and put them somewhere far away from your sight.

2. Create a list of the things that bring you joy

Being in the wrong relationship can make you forget who you are. You’re so used to making it all about your ex and now that you’re left alone, you don’t even know what you want to do with your life.

But it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. Take at least 15 minutes a day to think about what you actually like. Write down anything that brings you joy.

(P.S.: If you aren’t into journaling, recording a voice note on your phone works too.)

Ice cream parlor that you haven’t been to for a while — just because your ex hates it.
Spending more time with your dog outside.
Sitting on a beach for a bit longer
Enjoy a small hike with your friends
Taking yourself out to your favorite restaurant
Watching old series on Netflix
Painting, drawing, making dresses, gardening

The list goes on but you get the idea.

It might feel strange at first to ask, “what brings me joy?” especially when you had little time alone in your past relationship. But the best part of doing a breakup glow-up is to find who you actually are without your ex.

You’re opening a blank canvas and recreating your narrative about what you actually like.

3. Pack your stuff and go for a solo trip

Travel solo helped me find myself again after a rough breakup I went through back in 2019. I spent 4 months in Bali exploring places on my own.

It’s a surreal experience to have and I highly recommend everyone out there to at least do a solo trip once in a lifetime. Getting out of your comfort zone might seem scary but it also can make you feel powerful.

A breakup can make you question your worth. You might feel like you aren’t good enough because someone gives up on you. Although all your friends convince you that you’re more than enough, you can’t help but think,

“Do I truly deserve to be loved?”

This is where traveling solo helps you gain a new perspective. It helps you reclaim your power and hopefully, realize that you’re still worthy of love.

4. List reasons why you’re grateful for the breakup

A co-worker once said that I should create a list of all the things I’m grateful for after the breakup. I guess she couldn’t see me looking so miserable at the office for another day.

Surprisingly this helped me feel better. A lot better that I forgot about the breakup for a couple of days.

Creating a list of what you hate about your ex is fun. It brings you new perspectives on why the breakup is so necessary. If you think harder, there must be something that you couldn’t tolerate about your ex’s behavior.

And now that the relationship is over, you don’t need to deal with the nonsense anymore. Sometimes, it’s our job to look for the silver lining — instead of waiting for the time to show it to us.

5. Try something new in taking care of yourself psychically

Sign up for a yoga class. Try pilates. Go out for a hike. Try as many new things as possible. The best cure for heartbreak is changing your environment and literally resetting your life.

A breakup will actually give you the option to love yourself better. So make the best out of it by experiencing new things.

You also notice how people change their psychical appearance after the breakup because they believe it helps them with starting the new chapter.

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A breakup glow-up might sound like revenge to your ex but it’s more than that. It’s a way to give that love back to yourself — after all the pain you’ve gone through.

Nothing is more hopeful than finding yourself falling in love again with life. You might think a breakup will make you miserable and bitter forever.

But you don’t have to go down that path.

Doing this breakup glow-up isn’t just to prove to your ex that you can live without them but also to finally realize how powerful you’re on your own.

Now you can confidently say, “I’ve been through hell and I’m ready to face whatever life throws at me”.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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