As a proud Yorkshire bird, I strongly believe that a decent brew will make everything better. Sadly, this does not apply to heartbreak. Alcohol doesn't help either, it actually only fuels the abuse you'll text to the man that broke your heart - while your girlfriends aren't looking, of course. I've had countless evenings presenting pictures of 'the other woman'; in an attempt to build my self esteem back up while my friends tear every little detail about her photos to shreds. All girl power ideology is left outside in the cold, vodka-less.
Everyone has their own advice for heartbreak, whether it be a bottomless pint glass, a new hair colour, some form of anger management (boxing, anyone?) or that classic "you have to get under someone to get over someone else". The worst advice, by far, is a torturous evening spent under the duvet watching 'P.S. I love you' and crying into your Ben and Jerry's. I know this from experience. About 2 weeks ago I decided it'd be a brilliant idea to watch said film, already feeling empty and numb. Bad idea - I did not shed a single tear. Becoming emotionally dead inside is not an ideal result of heartbreak.
The only possible upside is the lack of judgement. Your friends won't judge you if you start drinking at 11am, or if you crawl out of bed at 4pm; eat some cereal for dinner and then continue to spend your days asleep. It beats the waking hours wondering how you could've been so wrong about someone after spending several years together.
Heartbreak can't be avoided. Everyone will one day be broken into a million pieces by another that they'd fallen so madly in love with, they couldn't see it coming. But thankfully a broken heart comes with life lessons (they might take you half a year or even 10 to realise) but one day you'll be grateful for them. The ultimate lesson learnt is to always be honest, with everyone. If you're honest, hopefully you won't be the cause of someone else's heartbreak someday.
The only advice I could possibly offer, as a broken girl myself, is to roll with the punches. This sounds ridiculous, I am aware, but the pain reminds me I'm alive. Do something you've always wanted to - easier said than done - focus on something else. Your heart won't heal instantly, but one day in the future that mind numbing, energy thieving pain will eventually wash over you, and you'll be much wiser for it.
