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I filled my time with friends, family, and hobbies. Time magically sped up and so did my healing.
If only more people could understand this simple concept.
And yes OP, you can be certain she's seeking emotional validation.
Keep moving on. You'll be a better man.
The reason this works is not time itself. A person can still do these things and the rumination process continues on in their minds, so they remain stuck in the attachment pattern.
What does help is when we're connecting with friends, family, and ourselves (e.g., through interests and hobbies).
So what his ex couldn't give him anymore in terms of connection (this being the core need), he got through other avenues and therefore begun to feel much better.
We all intuitively have a Needs-seeking energy within us. We unfortunately become blocked from our needs when there's guilty, shame, depression, (all of which are self-directed) and/or anger (other directed). This is why you see other guys who are stuck in anger have difficulty moving on with their lives. Or, altneratively they experience massive guilt, depression, and or shame which also keeps them locked and blocked off from their needs. When the underlying need(s) is met, we feel relieved and connected to ourselves and in some instances others.
Most people simply have a need for empathy in the wake of a failed relationship to help them become 'unstuck' and move forward. Often times people will cheat to have this (or other) need met simply because they have either an unrealistic expectation for their partner to meet their need, or they've never clearly expressed it to him/her, and perhaps feels as though their partner should just intuit it, or rather that they 'know'.
Op, I'd suggest you keep doing these things and let the innate 'miraculous' healing power inside you, that exists in every human, do its thing.