11 Tips for Singles Healing from a Breakup This Holiday Season

1. Acknowledge Your Hurt

The first step to healing of any kind is to acknowledge your hurt, and take ownership of it. You can start this process by making intentional time to honestly reflect on your emotions by writing each of them down. Clearly state what you are feeling and give an honest reason why. After you've acknowledged your feelings, take small, yet consistent steps toward accepting them. While this may be difficult, it's important that you take ownership of your feelings so you can understand them and begin working your way through them. Once you've taken the aforementioned steps, validate your emotions. Take a moment to remind yourself that it's okay to feel the way you do, and that these feelings will pass.

2. Pray for Healing

The next, and one of the most important steps toward healing is to go to God in prayer. We all know that prayer is direct communication with God, and we can go to Him in prayer with every matter of the heart because God cares, and He's waiting patiently to hear from us. If you're struggling with healing from a heartbreak in any season, take some time to pray and ask God to help you with your healing. Ask Him to mend your heart where it's broken. Ask Him to fill the void of absence, and seek His guidance on how to move beyond the relationship. As you pray for healing, listen for God's voice as He speaks to your heart and reveals His love through healing to you.

3. Get Involved in Outside Activities

The holiday season is filled with a variety of activities for all to enjoy. The best way to get over someone is to remain positively active. You can volunteer at a shelter, go shopping, or attend one of the many holiday festivals. If you're unsure of where to start, research and find some things that pique your interest, or you can engage in activities outside your comfort zone. Whatever you do, be sure it isn't something that reminds you of your recent relationship, but makes sure it's something that brings you the joy you deserve.

4. Go Places with Friends

One way you can work on healing from a heartbreak during the holiday or any season is to hang out with trusted friends. Schedule a time for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner in a space where you and a group of friends can laugh, unwind and encourage each other. You can select one of your favorite gathering spots, or try somewhere new. Wherever you go, be sure the agenda is healing.

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5. Take a Solo Trip

Solo trips are one of the most underrated activities a person can do. If you're on a journey to healing from a heartbreak, take some time to plan a safe solo trip to reconnect with God and yourself, and rebuild your emotions. You can plan a short trip to an unfamiliar destination. You can go see long-lost friends and family or plan a short day trip for a simple getaway to take your mind off your emotions. If you decide to take a solo trip, be sure to plan activities that refresh your heart, mind, body, and spirit.

6. Cry Until Your Heart and Soul Are Content

Crying is another good way to heal from a heartbreak. It's often said that tears cleanse the soul of grief and loss. Crying leaves you vulnerable and empty, but this is a good thing because you want to empty yourself of the pain you're feeling and open yourself to healing. So, whenever you are led to, cry your eyes out for as long as you deem necessary. You'll feel better in the long run.

7. Create New Traditions

Creating new holiday traditions can help you move beyond any traditions you created or planned to create with your past love. They can range from Thanksgiving caroling, giving gifts of gratitude, cooking meals and giving them to needy families, or creating Thanksgiving cards and delivering them to senior citizens. Whatever you decide to do, be intentional with your planning and be sure it brings your heart joy.

8. Be Patient with Your Healing

Many people who experience heartbreak want to rush through the pain rather than work through it patiently. If you're going through heartbreak, give yourself some grace with your healing. Listen to yourself, embrace the struggle of the healing process, and allow yourself to heal at a healthy, consistent pace.

9. Avoid Social Media

Social media can be helpful, and simultaneously harmful. To ensure you are healing at a happy and healthy pace, take some time away from your social media accounts. This can help keep your mind off of what "could have been" or what you believe "should have been" you and your partner. Less screen time can equal less heart scream time. Not only should you avoid social media as much as possible, but try your best to avoid holiday movies that can tug at your heartstrings. Replace your screen time with a good encouraging book, journaling or reorganizing your space for the holiday season. To take things a step further, you can remove your social media icons on your phone so they won't be easily accessible.

10. Host a Healing Party

The holiday season is a season for celebrating, so why not host a healing party to celebrate your journey to healing? You can invite close friends and family who have been supportive of you on your journey, and celebrate your decision to heal. During this gathering you can engage in various activities that can help you cleanse your soul while having the time of your life. Additionally, you can prepare fun party snacks that coincide with them and have party gifts that reflect your healing journey. However you decide to plan your party, make sure it's a celebration of healing.

11. Remove Reminders of Your Heartbreak

Singles, as you work towards healing, take some time to remove any unhealthy reminders of your heartbreak. Text messages, voicemails, pictures—anything that reminds you of someone who broke your heart should be removed or placed out of sight so that you can move on with your life. If you decide to tuck reminders away, make sure they are in a space where you cannot access them easily. You want to avoid as many pitfalls to your healing as humanly possible.

Heartbreaks of any kind during any season are difficult to grasp, but the beauty of each heartbreak is that a lesson comes with each one. As you are on your journey to healing, make sure you release the hurt and don't dwell on the relationship ending for too long. The longer you dwell on what you lost, the longer it'll take to receive the new love that awaits you. Additionally, make sure you take some time to reflect and learn the lessons that are hidden within your pain so you will take different steps in your next relationship. Experiencing a heartbreak is a traumatic experience, and it takes time for the heart to recover. So, no matter what you decide to do, make sure you're taking steps toward making your heart smile so that when love comes again, it'll be ready to receive it. Singles, you owe it to yourself to take the proper steps toward healing. Don't let your holiday be ruined by dwelling on hurt you can't control. Let it go, embrace your healing, and enjoy your holiday season.