By Molly Triffin
1. Go Cold Turkey
Staying in touch with him just keeps you stuck in the past, so at least in the beginning, break off all contact: Unfriend him, remove his name from Gchat, and delete him from your phone. If you have friends in common, take a temporary hiatus from them, too.
2. Flaunt Your Body
Ditch the breakup comfort clothes (college sweatshirt, boxer shorts) and rock outfits that amplify your hotness, like stilettos, a mini, or red lipstick. Every stare you get equals a confidence jolt. Oh, and even ifyou’re not planning on getting any, wear your sultriest, do-me-now lace lingerie. Check yourself out in the mirror, and give yourself props for your sexiest features.
3. Fake It ‘Til You Make It
Trust us on this one. Even though you’re not over him, act like you are…and it will eventually manifest. Force yourself to go to parties and flirt with other guys, and one day you’ll realize you’re not just pretending to have fun or playing along with the dude hitting on you-you’re legitimately into it.
4. Make Yourself Busy
One of the hardest things about breaking up is no longer having a permanent buddy to hang out with every night of the week. To fill the void, make more plans-organize a weekly happy hour with coworkers and brunch dates with your girls. Take on a new hobby, like wine and painting classes or volunteering to walk dogs at an animal shelter.
5. De-Clutter Your Life
Toss his toiletries, send clothes he left at your place back to him, and put any gifts or cards he gave you in a box in your closet (decide later whether you want to keep them; if you purge everything right away, you might regret it). Beyond ditching his stuff, shed clutter in general. Clearing out your place helps clear out your mind and make room for the new.
6. Take Off Your Blinders
Many women either demonize or idolize their ex post-split. But if you only focus on what an a-hole he was, you’ll get bitter. And if all you can remember is his amazing qualities, no other guy will be able to measure up. So take a relationship inventory: Make list of your ex’s good and bad traits so you get a complete picture of him. Then remind yourself that the person you’re ultimately supposed to be with is out there, and the longer you stay entrenched in your ex, the longer it’ll take you to find him.
