6 Ways To Get Over A Breakup That Don't Involve Ice Cream And Feeling Sad

Breakups can be really difficult to get through, especially if you were more invested in the relationship than your SO.

It's hard not to feel sad and lost, and it's even harder not to think about all the things you could have done differently that might have saved the relationship.

Whenever you're going through a breakup, it helps to remind yourself everything happens for a reason, even if you don't know what that reason is.

That being said, there's catharsis in letting yourself be sad. Allow yourself to be miserable about your breakup right after it happens.

Let all the emotions in, cry it out, listen to sad music, eat ice cream or chocolate or whatever it is that's going to comfort you.

Then, wake up the next day, force yourself to get out of bed and put on a brave face. Develop a new routine and soon enough, your breakup will be old news.

1. Write it all down.

I've always believed writing about your breakups really does help you start to move on from them. Writing things down will help you bring clarity to what it is you're feeling and why you might be feeling that way.

Are you more angry at how things ended? Sad about the loss of your SO?

Thinking critically about your breakup is one of the most important parts of getting over someone. The best way to move on is to first realize what you felt and then to make sense of why you no longer need to feel that way.

Healing is hard, you need to give yourself the time and patience to grieve while realizing you do need to move on eventually.

2. Surround yourself with friends.

Being surrounded by the people you love is one of the best post-breakup rituals you can develop for yourself.

Not only does it help to get your mind off something (or someone), but it also helps remind you that you have so much love in your life, even without your ex.

Your friends were there before your relationship, and they'll always be there after a relationship ends. Take the time to make new and exciting plans with your friends -- they can help you more than you know.

3. Start watching a new TV show.

One of the best days of my life was the day I started watching "The Mindy Project."

I was feeling particularly sad one day, so I put on an episode to cheer me up. I was hooked from the start.

I sat in my bed all day long and watched all of season one. That day was the very first day after my breakup that I didn't think about my ex once.

Distracting yourself with a new TV show or book (or even just something else you're passionate about) can help you move on from your ex because there's so much happiness that comes with being excited about something new.

4. Hit the gym.

There's a lot of truth to the term "revenge body." After a breakup, going to the gym will improve your physical and mental health.

Exercise actually boosts the serotonin levels in your brain, improving your mood. Not only that, but working out allows your body to release endorphins, which (thanks to Elle Woods) we all know helps make you happy.

Channeling all the negative energy from your breakup into something positive will benefit you in the long run. Soon enough, you'll feel great about yourself again, and there's no better reward than that.

5. Get under someone else.

Allowing yourself to move on and develop feelings for someone else can help speed up the healing process.

Developing a crush on someone new after a breakup brings you a sense of relief because it reminds you that you are capable of having feelings for someone who isn't the person you thought you'd never get over.

Get dressed up and go on dates with new people, but make sure you're ready before you do. Being someone's rebound is never fun, and you might end up hurting someone if you're dating them for the wrong reasons.

6. Accept that not all days are going to be good ones.

Bad days are going to come and go. In the first couple of weeks or months after a breakup, there will be some days that nothing or no one can make better -- days where you don't want to get out of bed.

Take those days, and let yourself be sad again. Pushing those feelings down is never a good idea because they'll boil over eventually. Allow yourself to be sad when you feel you can't possibly be happy, but then get back to the healing process again the next day.

Eventually, the bad days will come less and less, and you'll get to the place where you're able to say you've finally moved on. There's no better feeling than the acceptance that comes with letting go of people who were not meant for you.