Fact: Getting over a heartbreak—be it from a loss of a loved one or simply a failed relationship—is never easy. When they’re heartbroken, most people tend to clam up and brood. And that’s A-okay! But let’s face it, there will come a time that you will have to function properly and reconnect with the world. And what better way to mend a broken heart than to go and venture out into the world (or the rest of the Philippines)? Though traveling is not a proven fix for a broken heart, it will help tremendously with the painstaking process of moving on.

Here are 10 ways on how traveling can potentially patch a broken heart up:

Traveling Helps You Become More Independent

In a relationship, it’s only natural that the singular becomes plural and everything is basically shared. So when a relationship comes to an end, it can come off as a complete shock to someone who’s been in one for a long time. With traveling, you get to think on your own two feet (and fast!), decide for yourself, and just have the freedom to do what you want, when you want.

The moment you decide to travel alone, you already know that you’re ready to face reality all by yourself. And that you don’t need anyone’s back for support, it’s just you against the world.

Traveling Helps You Learn A Nee Skill Or Two

When people enter a relationship, they tend to forego their hobbies and plans. Now that you’re single, you have all the time to yourself, so get your off butt and sharpen your skills!

Remember that 3-unit Mandarin course you took in college? Now you can put that to good use in Shenzhen or even Beijing. Your Canon’s been gathering dust? Use it to snap photos of the sites you visit! When you travel, surely there is one dormant skill that you’re bound to hone.

Traveling Distracts You

Go out and experience the world instead of obsessing over someone who stopped caring about you. In a way, traveling is cathartic. Because it displaces you from your comfort zone, it purges you of old memories; from the friends you had in common down to even the 1-bedroom condo unit you shared. Whatever it is you’re trying to get away from, traveling can serve as the topnotch choice for a distraction.

By traveling, you get to distance yourself from your comfort zone, thereby prompting you to refocus and reconnect to your old self. Who knows, you might even be able to tap a better version of you whilst traveling!

Traveling Helps You Make Better Decisions

When you’ve been in a relationship for far too long, chances are you’re used to relying on your other half to make the decisions. With traveling, you get to exercise your decision-making skills to their fullest extent. In relationship with ‘independence’

Should you grab that airline seat sale deal or should you wait it out? Should you ask a local for directions or rely on your own navigation skills? Should you book a fancy hotel room or opt for a relatively cheaper hostel? These situations will soon make you realize that there are no rights or wrongs if you just trust your gut.

Traveling Boosts Your Confidence

When you’re thrust into the unfamiliar—where nobody knows who you are and nobody can judge you—you get the chance to reinvent yourself. In the company of strangers, you can be yourself or maybe even better! Amp up your style, change up your hairdo, or whatever makes you feel better about the skin you live in.

Because of the people you’re gonna be interacting with and the experiences you’ll be having, you’ll be amazed that you were able to pull off all of that, thereby boosting your confidence. Go on, pat yourself on the back.

Traveling Helps You Meet New People

Often times, when a person is in a relationship, they isolate themselves from other people so that they can be with their partners. To put it in simple words, they make their partners their world. Thus, other important people are left behind.

While you’re gallivanting, you’re bound to meet new, awesome people from all walks of life. This could also be your chance to give those who are way more important in your life the time that you’ve lost while you’re with your boyfriend. Surround yourself with these amazing people and you never have to worry about the influx of old memories. Forget brooding and dwelling in the past, create brand-new, beautiful memories with these people instead.

Traveling Helps You Be In The Now

If there’s one thing that traveling is sure to teach you, it’s that you need to be in the now—as opposed to dwelling in the past. When you’re plunged into an unfamiliar situation or location, your senses become heightened; you see more, hear more, and feel more. So take this chance to live in the moment.

See the world, listen to it. Embrace your whole being, celebrate your body. Lounge in some secluded beach resort in Phnom Penh or Samal Island. Relax, let go, and let loose—you deserve it.

Traveling Gives You Something To Look Forward To

When you set on an adventure with a broken heart, chances are you’re doing it just for the sake of escaping the quagmire you’re in and that’s a big no.
Instead of getting away, set your mind to the fact that you’re aiming towards something fulfilling—something that will jumpstart you to self-actualization.

Think of this trip as your re-introduction into the world, your chance for a fresh, new start. Set your sights to the endless possibilities that await you instead of sulking over a lost relationship. Traveling can do all these for you so embrace it!

Traveling Makes You See The Beauty Of The World

The iconic Angkor Wat, the breathtaking Eiffel tower, or the hauntingly beautiful Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. Whichever of these is your cup of tea, you’ll surely be struck with awe, making you forget the lingering pain of a loss in the process—even for the briefest moment.

While experiencing the beauty of the world, you’ll realize how there are millions of ways and reasons to smile again. In this manner, you’ll get to understand the world better and the people who are much in pain than you are.

Traveling Helps You Start Out With A Clean Slate

After you’ve purged out all the toxicity, the drama, and the what-could’ve-beens through traveling, it’s high time you straighten up and return to your normal life. It may be mundane but it’s okay! You only have one life to live so you’re left with no choice but to make the most out of it.

After all, it’s just a bad experience, not a bad life. And it’s just your relationship that ended, not your life.