Okay, so the other day, I was thinking about this whole “separation” thing. You know, like when you break up with someone or get divorced. It’s a big deal, right? And it’s not just about splitting up stuff or whatever. It’s way deeper than that.
I remember when my friend Sarah went through her divorce. Man, that was rough. She was a total mess. But you know what she did? She let herself cry, scream, and just feel all the feels. It was like she needed to get it all out before she could even start to think straight. And I think that’s important. You can’t just bottle up all that pain.
Then there’s this other friend, Mark. When he and his girlfriend broke up, he was all about rediscovering who he was. They’d been together for so long that he kinda forgot what he liked to do on his own. So, he started doing all sorts of stuff – joined a hiking group, took a cooking class, even started playing the guitar again. It was like he was a new person.
And me? Well, I had a similar experience a while back. A long-term thing ended, and I felt lost, to be honest. First, I let myself grieve. Ugly cried and all. It was necessary. It felt like a part of me had died, and I needed to mourn that loss.
- Dealing with Emotions:
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Cried it out. Seriously, just let the tears flow.
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Talked to friends. They listened, even when I was probably being annoying.
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Journaled. Wrote down all my crazy thoughts and feelings.
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Then came the whole “who am I?” phase. I started hanging out with different people, tried new things, and just generally explored what made me happy. I began running and found some great trails near my place. Then I got into cooking, started with simple recipes, then went wild with experimenting.
- Finding Myself Again:
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Started running. Found some cool trails nearby.
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Got into cooking. Started simple, then went experimental.
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Met new people. Joined a book club, which was surprisingly fun.
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Getting Busy
You know what else helped? Just keeping busy. I made plans with friends, old and new. I said “yes” to pretty much everything – dinners, movies, even that weird art exhibit my coworker was into.
- Staying Active:
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Hung out with friends. Dinners, movies, the usual.
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Said “yes” to everything. Even that weird art exhibit.
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Picked up old hobbies. Remembered how much I loved playing the piano.
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It took time, but slowly, I started feeling like myself again. Not the “me” from before the relationship, but a new, better version. Someone who’s been through some stuff but came out stronger on the other side. And that’s what I think separation can do for you. It forces you to grow and change in ways you never expected.
So, if you’re going through it now, just remember: it’s okay to feel sad, lost, or whatever. Let it out. Then, start figuring out who you are without that other person. It’s a journey, for sure, but it’s one worth taking.
