Breakups can painful and difficult to move on from. They can be distracting and painful, but therapist Lisa Firestone, Ph.D., urges clients to rethink the narrative of their relationship to form a better outlook on the future. Are you reflecting on your time together truthfully? What is an honest story of the time you spent together? How you tell the story of a relationship impacts your impression of the time you spent together, and changing the narrative can help people develop a more positive outlook and find closure. Firestone lists five critical steps to rethinking your kinship for a constructive new beginning.
- Acknowledge your “critical inner voice” and filter out the negativity.
- Let go of the fantasy of love
- Adopt a growth mindset
- Practice self-compassion
- Create a coherent narrative
So whether you tell a friend, write it down, or just speak it to yourself, when you tell the narrative of a relationship, make sure it is honest and told in a way that helps you move on rather than holds you in the past.
