Falling in love is one of the most beautiful feelings a human can comprehend, but it can be difficult if the feelings aren’t mutual. It can cause your confidence to freefall while causing you to forget who you really are, so here are 17 steps to handling this situation.
Accept Their Feelings
The first step to moving on after someone has shown no reciprocal interest in you is to accept the situation. Acceptance of the situation will ensure that you don’t spend time dwelling on it or beating yourself up about it, as Action for Happiness confirms. It won’t be easy, but it’s important.
Hit the Gym
This may seem a little cliché, but exercising and keeping yourself in good shape will boost your self-esteem and confidence, helping you to feel at your best when talking to new people. Fitness can also be used as an outlet for your sadness and stress regarding being rejected. Give it a try!
Find New Interests
Finding a new hobby to take your mind off the pain of rejection can be hugely beneficial for a multitude of reasons. Not only will it distract your brain and give you something to focus on, but it will also aid your self-growth, helping you to become a more well-rounded person.
Remember Who You Are
When you fall for someone, you can quite easily forget who you were before you met them. You may have tried to lean toward their interests, disregarding your own in the process. Reconnecting with your former, true self can work wonders for your soul.
Confide in Close Friends/Family
Keeping your feelings inside you is never wise, as bottling up emotions can lead to eventual breakdowns. The New York Times puts it best, suggesting that talking about your problems to someone reinforces them in your brain, making it easier to break out of negative mindsets later down the line.
Socialize With Friends
Spending time with colleagues or friends will help you take your mind off being rejected, giving you the companionship that you need. It’s easy to fall into the trap of isolation after someone you like shows no interest in you, but this won’t help you move on at all.
Unfollow Them
It’s probably worth unfollowing your former crush on social media to avoid feelings of jealousy and sadness. This will prevent you from seeing images or stories that will send you back into a bad state, helping you to keep moving forward.
Work Out What You Want
Knowing exactly what you want from a relationship is key, as it will leave you with a clearer mind as you move on from the previous rejection. It will ensure that you go into your next romantic adventure without the risk of being strung along.
Become Mindful
Going through tough life moments such as rejections can take a toll on your mental state. So, why not try practicing mindfulness and meditation to help ease these issues? As the Mayo Clinic suggests, it gives you a sense of calm, peace, and balance.
Learn to Love Yourself
One of the best ways to help yourself move on is to learn to love who you are, embrace your imperfections, and realize your many positive aspects. This will prevent you from losing your self-worth and help you realize that one person’s disinterest shouldn’t define you.
Cut Contact
Keeping in contact with someone who rejected you will continue to leave you with a scrap of hope that something romantic will arise between you. Respectfully cutting contact with them will prevent you from being stuck in a fruitless state of misguided hope. It’s sad, but true.
Change Career
Sometimes, a moment in your life, such as a rejection, can be a call to pivot your life in a different direction. You can use it as a chance to move into a different career, maybe one you’ve always dreamed of, as you no longer have any strings tying you to your current occupation.
Enjoy Being Single
Although remaining single may not have been your intended outcome from the situation, it does have obvious benefits. You can focus on yourself and become the person you want to be, as well as make time for solo adventures and activities.
Set Goals
Setting personal goals for yourself will give you something to strive for, providing you with an added purpose in life. Your mind will be occupied, and you can attribute little victories to things you have achieved personally rather than celebrating marginal gains you had with the person who let you go.
Go For Walks
Walking is not only a way of staying physically active and healthy, but it can also help you clear your mind. Taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature can help you realign mentally while figuring out your next steps. It’s like giving yourself time to process things.
Self-Care
Establishing a self-care routine will not only leave you looking and feeling great physically, but it can also have major benefits for your mental health. The National Institute on Mental Health suggests that it can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your overall energy, too.
Don’t Put Them on a Pedestal
Lastly, it’s easy to put someone on a pedestal when you fall in love with them, and sadly, this is even easier when they reject you. When you see someone as perfect, it can make it almost impossible to move on, as your mind tells you that there is nobody who could be a better fit for you.
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