Breakups SUCK!
Point…Blank…Period! There’s no great way to say it.
A breakup is one of the most emotionally draining things a person can go through, and traveling abroad can add even more uncertainty and pain to the process.
When you break up with someone, you’re not only losing a partner, you’re losing a friend. The relationships we have abroad can be much more intense than the ones at home because we bond together to face the adversity and unknowns of living in a foreign country. These people often become our rocks or our homes away from home. It can be hard to let that go.
The stress of travel can take a toll on a relationship, accelerate the natural evolution of a relationship, or even force two people to stay together longer than they should.
Travel accelerates the natural evolution of a relationship
You don’t have a lot of time to determine whether or not you are the perfect pair.
When you’re traveling together, however, this natural evolution of getting to know one another, becoming accustomed to each other’s quirks and eccentricities, and (in some cases) discovering that you’re not well matched, happens much more quickly.
A relationship that might last many years in the “normal” world could run a much shorter course on the road, given both the constant contact and stressful moments. You have no choice but to show your true colours much quicker while traveling.
And sometimes, your true colors don’t match.
Why I’m writing about this
Good Vibes Global is a platform that I use to share my positive life experiences as a traveler, entrepreneur, and mother.
Being a woman is hard, being single parent is even harder. Coupled with the fact that I sold it all and took the biggest risk of my life to be a location independent entrepreneur.
The truth is I’m a realist and everyday isn’t rainbows, fun travel adventures and butterflies. I will always share the truth about the ups and downs of this journey.
So Here’s The Truth…
I to move to Thailand in January but my live-in boyfriend decided to stay in Houston. I made peace with his decision to stay behind and I moved forward with grace and hope for the future.
I was excited about traveling the world with my 12-year-old son Cameron. Since my move, I’ve had zero regrets about leaving behind my old life in the U.S. .
19 Days Later….
He called me to say that he put all his belongings in storage, sold his Jeep and was booking a flight to Thailand to spend the rest of the year traveling with us.
Did I forget to mention that he flew in the day before my 34th birthday? What a perfect way to kick off 2017 AND my 34th year! I was floored!!! ECSTATIC!! Having this opportunity to travel has been my dream for some time. Traveling with my best friend and partner made the dream even bigger.
This grand gesture let me believe that our relationship was moving in the right direction.
UNTIL….
Last week he told me he wanted to end our relationship after being together for 18 months and traveling together for the past 2 months.
I was LIVID, embarrassed and extremely upset. I cried for a while, walked around feeling numb and laid in bed for a day.
To make matters worst, we arranged our flight and hotel to spend the next 3 months living in Vietnam. The plans were all set, but now I’m moving forward without him…once again.
Maybe I was wrong to believe that traveling together would make our relationship grow.
Now What
All breaks are difficult , but I dealt with each of them in very different ways.
I’ve come to see there are certain things you can do that will help you heal properly and other things that will prevent you from ever coming to terms with the loss.
What Not To Do:
Mask The Pain
Feeling all the hurt from a breakup is not enjoyable. However, being a single mom doesn’t allow me to spend much time feeling misery and pain. I find myself covering the heart ache from my son. I never wanted him to see me go through those hardships, but the truth is I needed to be honest about everything.
I spent many nights crying into my pillow and felt as if I would never be okay, but the cliché is true; time does heal all pain.
Letting it out and accepting my feelings for what they were wasn’t easy, but it was so much better for my soul.
Accept the pain. The earlier you can deal with the sadness, the easier it will be to get over it. Don’t pretend to be fine if you’re not. Allow yourself time and space to mourn.
Interact With Your Ex In An Unhealthy Way
My recent breakup put me in a very uncomfortable position.
Although we agreed to go our separate ways, we still have a week left before our apartment lease ended. We have been sharing our small apartment together until we leave for Vietnam next week without him.
Things have been tense, but we have been making the best out of the situation to avoid a big blow out with my son around. We just want to keep the peace and go our separate ways. Looking back, we had a great 2 months of travel & created many beautiful memories. It was nice to create happy moments together as a traveling family.
Don’t Beg or Try To Reconcile
Let it go.
If your partner wants out, let them go. It’s perfectly fine to speak your mind and express your emotions, but they have already made up their minds.
There’s no reason to plead with someone who no longer wants to be with you.
Save your energy to move forward.
What To Do:
Travel On Your Own
I started the journey for myself and my son. Having my boyfriend around was a great addition to my travel plans, but now I will continue on without skipping a beat.
He changed his mind about going to Vietnam and wants to stay in Thailand on his own. I almost canceled the trip to Vietnam, but I think it’s important for us to keep exploring new places.
Use my special discount link to get $35 off your next Airbnb booking!
Self Care
“Treat Yo Self”
Part of my self-care practice is eating well, getting enough sleep, working out – I like yoga and cardio, meditation and acupuncture.
Take time for yourself. Practice loving and pampering yourself.
I love me. I’m truly my own best friend so it’s only natural to give yourself the time and attention you truly need.
Work On Yourself
Thankfully I’ve got my amazing son Cameron, Good Vibes Global and my drop shipping business to help keep my mind off the break up.
Funny thing is I actually am more productive during my post-break up periods.
Being single is the perfect time to take up a new hobby or perfect your current craft.
Being a location independent entrepreneur takes time, energy and effort.
If you’re interested in starting your own e-commerce business check out my last blog post. They say being successful is the best revenge. Why not become your own boss, make loads of money and let your ex stalk your social media pages!
Disconnect From Their Social Media
Mind your business.
Don’t go fishing for anything that will make you upset or spark more tension.
If you go looking, you are bound to find something that is only going to sting and make the wounds harder to heal.
Let it go.
Unfriend, block, untag and don’t lurk on their social media.
Spend Time With Family & Friends
I’m grateful and happy to share this experience with my son Cameron. Being a single parent is tough but it’s worth all the hard work.
Exploring Southeast Asia with my sidekick makes everything better and takes my focus off any negative feelings I have about my break up.
I’ve met some really great people during my travels along with my awesome friends back home to keep me on track! It’s going to take some time, but I will survive.
Breaking up with someone while you’re travelling doesn’t have to be the end of the world. In fact, it can be the perfect opportunity to really concentrate on yourself.
Have you gone through a recent break up? Feel free to comment & share any tips for dealing with a breakup below! Peace & Good Vibes!
Laptop Lifestyle Living – Ways To Handle A Breakup While Traveling Breakups SUCK! Point...Blank...Period! There's no great way to say it. A breakup is one of the most emotionally draining things a person can go through, and traveling abroad can add even more uncertainty and pain to the process.
