Issue №1: Can you take a break from heartbreak?
How to care for yourself when your world is falling apart.
Hello dear readers,
I write a little sheepishly today. I had every intention of publishing weekly, but life happened, and I experienced heartbreak. Then, life happened again, and more heartbreak. I wasn’t in the headspace to deliver anything helpful or positive, so I didn’t post.
And, I think this is important to say… it’s okay to pause production when you need to heal your heart. If no one models that, we will all continue to run the hamster wheel of busyness. Some of the content creators I respect the most are the ones who don’t prioritize rigid consistency, but instead prioritize delivering when they have something really valuable to offer. We don’t need to hear from everyone all the time.
Now, back to heartbreak.
Heartbreak is deeply personal. Sometimes we see it coming, and sometimes it slaps us in the face.
You might get heartbreak from something seemingly silly. Maybe you lost the tacky necklace you bought as a present to yourself ten years ago when your shitty ex-boyfriend forgot your birthday. There’s nothing like nostalgia to unleash repressed grief.
Or, maybe your heartbreak is existential. How can we be happy when so many lives are suffering? How can we be happy when the world feels chaotic, irrational, and unsafe?
Happy, healed people do not light the world on fire. It is imperative that we feel and heal.
Speaking of the world on fire… social media is fuel. To prevent the flames from torching our hearts, we must deprive them of oxygen (AKA attention in social media speak).
We can start by putting up boundaries. Turn off the news. Pause notifications. Delete your apps. Do whatever it is that you need to do to put some distance between the emotional fire and your sensitive soul. Our brains and bodies were not designed to witness trauma at this level of frequency and intensity.
We don’t have to do this forever, but it’s okay if you need to do it today.
Not sure if you’re experiencing media fatigue? Here are a few telltale signs:
You have a hard time staying present
You feel stressed and overwhelmed
You're experiencing sensory overload (there are too many stimuli around you for you to process)
It's harder to focus because of distractions
You're connecting with people less frequently in person
You have a negative outlook on the future
You feel like you need to constantly check your phone or social media accounts
Not sure how to disconnect? I suggest swapping scrolling with connecting. Preferably in real life, not online. Call your friends just to say hi. Take someone to coffee. Go see Taylor Swift in the theater. Have kids? Schedule a playdate and let them run around a playground while you chat.
Have tips for dealing with heartbreak? I’d love to hear them!
That’s all from me for now.
Big hugs,
Kendra