Dealing with a broken heart is never an easy experience. However, what many broken-hearted individuals are now finding out is that it is even more challenging to handle this grief during the middle of a global pandemic. If you have recently ended a relationship, there are a number of things that you can do to help you to get back up on your feet and feeling better.

Here are six ways that you can speed up the healing process and begin to embrace this new season in life.

Embrace the Grief

The first step in moving forward after a relationship ends is to embrace the grief and fully deal with its implications. While it may be tempting to want to throw yourself into a new relationship, ignore the sadness, or hit up the party scene with a vengeance, doing all of these things will simply just mask the grief that you feel. In order to truly move on, it is important that you deal with the heartache when it happens so that you can effectively process your emotions in the moment.

Find New Outlets

One of the best ways to move on after a relationship has ended is to find new outlets for your time and passions. Once you have allowed yourself the appropriate time to grieve, it is time to put yourself out there. Chances are, you have more time on your hands now that you are single. Take advantage of this gift of time to pursue new hobbies or passions that you have always wanted to invest yourself in. There is no time like the present.

Get Moving

It is no secret that physical activity instantly improves your mood. Not only will you enjoy the feel-good endorphins that are released when you work up a sweat, but you will also enjoy a boost of confidence that comes with working out and feeling good about yourself. You can elevate this benefit even further by taking your exercise outside so that you can breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Emphasize Self-Care

There has never been a more important time to practice self-care than after a hard breakup. Now is the time to focus your energy on your own personal needs. Self-care looks different for every individual. For some people, self-care may mean spending the day at the spa. For others, self-care may look like a long run followed by a drink with friends. Meditation and yoga are ideal lifestyle practices to instill when you are working through difficult emotions. However this looks for you, the important thing is to do the things that help to get you through this transition in life with your sanity intact.

Understand the Difference Between Grief and Depression

During the throes of heartache, it can be easy to confuse your feelings of acute and situational grief with true depression. As you begin to emerge from the fog, you will likely find that the grief begins to subside with time. Conversely, depression will feel as if it will never end. If you have any indication that you are slipping into a depression, it is vital that you seek the help of a professional. A counselor can be an invaluable tool as you navigate this difficult time. Professional help can also help you to move into the future without the addition of emotional baggage.

Give Love to Others

Giving love to others is an ideal way to pull yourself out of this time of grief. What you will likely find is that the more love that you give to others, the more that you will receive back in return. This is also a great time in your life to start volunteering if you do not already do so. Giving your time to others will help to take the focus off of your own worries. You will naturally feel better about your personal situation if you take the time to help those in need.

There is never an easy time to face a breakup. However, knowing how to tackle this grief and come out on the other side of it a better person will go a long way in helping you to heal.