Before you ask, no, I’m not currently using any of these methods to get over anyone in particular. I am living the life I’ve always wanted to live with all my city and country hopping, but I have yet to figure out how dating fits into this new world order. I’m happy 90% of the time, which is a solid “A” and, oddly enough, the highest percentage I have ever sustained for this long. Perhaps it’s because I don’t have a current heartache to nurse that I’m so content?
Regardless, since I didn’t have anything substantive ready for today, I thought you would enjoy this list that I’ve cultivated over the years. My apologies if I was wrong.
Thriftygal’s List of Ways to Get Over Someone
- Write a list of things you dislike about that person.
- Throw away your list of things you love about that person.
- You’ll regret number two in a few years, but it’ll help now. And now is more important than a few years from now. At least for these purposes.
- Go out and do things. All the things.
- Yoga. Lots of yoga and Pilates. Look as good as you want to feel.
- Flirt. Smile at that guy over there. I bet he’ll come over and talk to you.
- Cry. Mourn.
- Go to therapy to work on your bigger life problems.
- Put “be over whatshisface” on your “Someday list” and cross it off triumphantly when you’re ready.
- Write a future email to yourself asking if you’re over him yet. Send it far enough into the future where you know the answer will be unequivocally yes.
- Throw self off cliff; start life anew as a water buffalo or a tomato. I would make such a good tomato.
Disclaimer: Taking relationship advice from me is a really terrible idea.
This made my day. It’s exactly what I needed to read right now. Thank you!
The disclaimer is apt :P. Jokes apart, but I think the very first point may do more harm than good. Creating a list of everything you dislike about someone, even when you want to forget about them, may be too much of pain to the brain. And the brain may cling to those thoughts and even generalize them. Also, inherently you would focus on the very thing you want to forget.
I think, Point No 10 would make sure that even if you forget them for now, you have an anchor to bring them back to shore. 🙂
4,5,6,8 and 11 seem to be more than enough. 🙂
I like a comment I heard the actor Morgan Freeman make about this, “variety”.
Hilarious point #11…
Bahahaha…. #9. Whenever making a list, it’s important to include things to put on other lists.
Give in to the ex-Other’s attempts to recreate involvement, and in a weak moment agree to do their taxes. Again, when they have been put off until the day before due. Re-learn while cooling your heels during the frantic, wall-banging search for records that you had been assured were actually already gathered and arranged, how disorganized, nay, even chaotic, nay even entropic their finances and their life actually are (and how compulsively organized you/* are), and re-feel that sense of ecstatic relief you first felt when you said, “This isn’t working, and it’s never going to work, and I’m Out Of Here.”
/* “You” in this sentence is not to be understood as signifying Ms Gal, but as a generic pronoun.
__
@Simon. Hehe.
I wrote a letter ( I never intended to send) to the first girl who broke my heart. Then I went to Italy for two weeks to stay at a friend’s house. Very hard to be sad in Italy.
This is an awesome way to get over! Thanks for the tips. Really needed to ready something like this at this time!
The list thing worked well for me I dig what you are able to do SOLO when it seems that everything concerning travelling most times these days Is double OCCUPANCY any tips on getting around that in a thrifty way with out bunking with a stranger of the same sex opposite might not be so bad !!
I think I’d like to be an owl.
Dear Anita,
Thank you for creating this blog and sharing your experience. I specially liked this page (Thriftygal’s List of Ways to Get Over Someone). Could I ask you to talk about an issue? Have you met people who criticized your life choice?
What do you do, what do you say to the person and to yourself, when you deal with judgmental people – family, parents :o), acquaintances, people who may be jealous of your traveling, not working or contributing to the society “like a serious and responsible” citizen?
I ask because once I took a 6-month leave, and the worst part was dealing with judgmental relatives (even those who knew I needed this leave to maintain my health and sanity), friends and co-workers. I traveled and met strangers who thought I was a spoiled princess. :o)
Thank you for reading my reply and again, thank you for this blog!
@Selena – I haven’t met many people who were critical and I’m shocked that people called you a spoiled princess! Haters are going to hate. If they didn’t hate, they would be normal people. Just ignore them and live well. Realize that you’re enjoying your life and that is its own reward. I know that’s easier said than done!