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Memories of an ex, when personified, are like the prison guard who yanks you by ankles - shackles them - and reels you back into nostalgic hell as you try to flee into the future. The past can be damn-near inescapable.
But that's only if you allow it to be.
Don’t let your thoughts control you. You have the power to master your own mind – an ability that’s quite useful for purging pesky past partners.
When it comes to exes, we often have a bad habit of conveniently forgetting the turbulent times and always remembering the good ones. But here's a thought - why not obliterate memories of your ex altogether?
Here’s how to do it.
1. Rid Yourself of Remindful Rubbish
That teddy bear he won for you at the carnival? Burn it.
Those love letters that are scribbled with his saccharine drivel? Use 'em to curb your dog.
Have a ceremonious cleansing of anything and everything that reminds you of your ex. You don't need to be triggered back down memory lane every time you walk into your home - it's supposed to be your sanctuary, after all.
Conceal your ex's social media updates, whether it's through changing your news feed settings or by unfollowing him entirely. Nothing will make your ex more unforgettable than having his day-to-day activities flash before your eyes like it’s the front page news.
And most importantly, fade out of your ex's friends and family's lives. Unless of course you want to inevitably be invited to parties and events where you'd be forced to be in your ex's presence. If that's the case, then by all means, keep ‘em in your social circle.
2. Overwrite Tainted Pastimes with Friends and Family
Maybe there's a favorite restaurant you frequented with your ex or a Netflix show you used to binge watch with him every weekend. Now you can't do any of those things without being triggered into a cringe fest of fragmented flashbacks.
You could never give up Red Lobster and you’ll be damned if you’ll let a man spoil your viewing indulgences. So what’s a girl to do?
Simple. Recondition your mind to associate those things with other people - in other words, overwrite your ex.
Patronize that restaurant with people you adore – your friends and family. Find a new buddy to have those Netflix weekends with. After a while, you'll no longer associate the things you love with someone you can't stand.
You can still enjoy those delicious Cheddar Bay biscuits and watch Chewing Gum without the putrid stench of your ex creeping back into the room.
3. Beat Bad Memories With Busy Work
When do invasive thoughts occupy your mind the most? When you're sitting there not doing a damn thing.
Don't allow your mind to drift!
Who's got time to waste daydreaming about "what ifs" and "woulda, shoulda, couldas" when you're too busy using every second of your time to optimize your lifestyle? So when intrusive thoughts tap you on the shoulder for a visit, kindly tell them go kick rocks as you're too busy for nonsense today - and well - forever.
Whether you're drowning in your own sweat at the gym or sinking your teeth in a new project at work, your hyper-focus on self-improvement will not only keep the undesirable memories at bay, but enhance your well-being. Win, win!
4. Stop Sleeping Til Too-Damn-Late A.M.
Hovering in a haze of sleepless stupor, there's something about those wee hours of the morning that drag us into mindless online shopping splurges, regrettable text confessions - and of course - visits from the ghosts of our past.
Don’t be one of those people who stares into space at 3 a.m., replaying the same ol' sorry scenes over and over again.
Instead of staying up all night and having a flood of unwelcome memories deluge your mind, do your best to get tucked in at a reasonable hour. Right before drifting to sleep, engage your thoughts with a mind-stimulating activity - like reading a sci-fi novel - to keep your mind occupied and hinder it from regressing into an unpleasant past.
5. Outshine Your Old Memories With New Exciting Ones
If you’re stuck in a tedious hamster wheel cycle of wake up, go to work, go to sleep, repeat, well, of course flashbacks of your ex will resurface – they’re the most salient thoughts you’ve got stored in that underwhelming, monotonous memory bank of yours.
Inundate your mind with meaningful memories. And I mean an abundance of gratifying, fulfilling experiences that are both rewarding and unforgettable – collect enough of these new exciting memories and your ex will be shoved so far back into your mind, you won’t even know he exists.
Don't believe me? Check out this study published in Nature Neuroscience (h/tThe Independent). Without getting too technical, we can kick bad memories to the curb by taking advantage of our brain's selective memory processes when we absorb new information.
This means you can dim out meddlesome memories of your ex by outshining them - a good excuse to start booking exhilarating weekend getaways with friends!
Kimberly Gedeon is a creative content connoisseur with nearly 2,000 professional articles published online. Say hello to her on Twitter @sweetenedcafe or Instagram @kimmiexsweetie. She doesn't bite ... much.
Memories of an ex, when personified, are like the prison guard who yanks you by ankles - shackles them - and reels you back into nostalgic hell as you try to flee into the future. The past can be damn-near inescapable.
But that's only if you allow it to be.
Don’t let your thoughts control you. You have the power to master your own mind – an ability that’s quite useful for purging pesky past partners.
When it comes to exes, we often have a bad habit of conveniently forgetting the turbulent times and always remembering the good ones. But here's a thought - why not obliterate memories of your ex altogether?
Here’s how to do it.
Memories of an ex, when personified, are like the prison guard who yanks you by ankles - shackles them - and reels you back into nostalgic hell as you try to flee into the future. The past can be damn-near inescapable.
But that's only if you allow it to be.
Don’t let your thoughts control you. You have the power to master your own mind – an ability that’s quite useful for purging pesky past partners.
When it comes to exes, we often have a bad habit of conveniently forgetting the turbulent times and always remembering the good ones. But here's a thought - why not obliterate memories of your ex altogether?
Here’s how to do it.
