It’s a Sunday afternoon and your brunching with your single ladies, when you get that dreaded phone call from your taken best friend:
TV shows often glamorize our abilities to give relationship advice to our best friends. Pithy rounds of ex-bashing over brunch, one-line quips that put the relationship to rest, and it’s all solved by the time they cut to commercial.
Her boyfriend of 3 years just broke up with her!
Before you start planning your girls’ night out to lick her wounds, keep these things in mind when it comes to how YOU should handle HER breakup.
Listen, listen, and just listen to your best friend
She needs you more than ever now. And basically, she just needs you to sit there and SHUT UP. Share empathy with her and support her—let her get it all out. But under NO circumstances should you give her advice or suggestions –although you’ve watch plenty of Dr. Phil episodes – DON’T DO IT!
Let her know that it takes time and that’s okay.
Getting over a broken heart doesn’t happen from one day to the next – nor one month to the next. It is a journey that takes time. Don’t nag her after two months that it’s time to get over it.
Be a positive distraction.
This is an emotional 911 emergency. So get ready to play doc and be on call at all times. Do fun things together, like take a workout dance class – go to the movies together, but NOT a ROM COM- think Kevin Hart kind of a comedy, or just hang at home and crack open your fanciest bottle of wine. Just don’t FORCE her to do anything she isn’t ready to do.
Remember, you’ll get your partner in crime back eventually. And when that happens—the world better watch out. You’ll both be unstoppable as a dynamic duo.
