Heartbreak is definitely something we need to talk about more! In the early stages of my relationship with my current girlfriend, we broke up for around 6 months, and it was one of the toughest things I dealt with that year. She was my first love, and my first romantic heartbreak as well. I was surprised that the pain of losing someone I'd know for such a short time sent shockwaves through my life, and I definitely beat myself up for feeling so hurt and depressed over a 'teenage romance'. Years later, I can now see that I was stigmatising myself, because I'd learned that young people's relationships aren't normally taken seriously, even though they play such an important role in helping us learn how to navigate the world of friendships and dating.
No matter how long you've known someone, whether you dated or were just friends, your heartache is valid. No one gets to tell you when it's time to move on, because you are the expert in your own mind and heart. It's okay to grieve the loss of a girlfriend or boyfriend, or the rejection of someone who didn't like you back. It all hurts just the same 💙
