If you think you’ll never be happy after splitting up with your boyfriend, you’re wrong. You WILL laugh again – but happiness asks you to do a few things first.

These tips for happiness after a breakup range from not taking revenge to empowering yourself by taking control of your life. Even if you only try one of these tips, you’ll feel better.

Before the tips, a quip:

“Relationships don’t last anymore,” said comedian Rita Rudner. “When I meet a guy, the first question I ask myself is, ‘Is this the man I want my children to spend their weekends with?’”

Here’s the first tip for happiness after splitting up: don’t start your next relationship with the end in sight! Learn from your past relationships, but don’t let them drag you down.

If you think you’ll never be happy again, read Letting Go of Someone You Love. I interviewed psychologists, life coaches, and counselors for their best tips on finding happiness after a split.

And, here are five ways to be happy after the breakup…

How to Be Happy After Splitting Up With Your Boyfriend

Make a clean break

After you’ve broken up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, don’t talk on the phone, meet for coffee, or text each other. Even if you’re thinking of getting back together, make sure you take at least three months off. This breakup advice is about finding your self-identity again – figuring out who you are apart from your relationship.

If you split with your girlfriend or boyfriend because of cheating, read How to Stop Loving a Man Who Lies, Cheats, and Steals.

Avoid the temptation to get revenge

Whether your ex-girlfriend or boyfriend cheated on you, borrowed money and didn’t pay it back, or stole your dog – resist the temptation to get revenge. Getting him back only prolongs your connection, and you need to move on in order to stay happy! “The best revenge is living well,” said someone.

If you don’t know why your boyfriend cheated, read Why Men Cheat on Women – Insights From a Marriage Counselor.

Accept that he or she wasn’t “the one.”

This breakup advice is so easy to give, and so difficult to accept! It’s hard to see that you split up for a reason, and it’s likely in your best interests to accept that the relationship is over and move on. Try listening to the best songs for broken hearts — they may help you heal.

Remember that everything happens for a reason

It’s inevitable: you have to learn to accept that you’ve lost someone or something you love without letting it cripple your emotions or make you bitter! In fact, letting go is something you’ll have to do more and more as you get older – and it only gets easier if you accept and even embrace it. To stay happy after splitting up, remember that everything in life is temporary.

Take control – you are powerful

This break up advice is effective for all painful things in life: you can’t change how you feel, but you can control what you focus on. Instead of focusing on your pain, grief, and loss – mourn it briefly, and then focus on other things. Do you want to stay happy after splitting up? Then think about the great things in your life, the people who love you, your hobbies, your pets, your job. If you don’t enough good things to focus on, consider a few life changes.

For more tips, read Starting Over After Your Relationship Ends – 8 Tips for New Beginnings.

Do you think you’ll never be happy after splitting up with your boyfriend? Tell me your story.

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