Breakup Survival Guide

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Type	Name	Suggestion	Comments	Link

2	Watch	Anna W.	About Time	Always reminds me about the kind of love that's real and really matters
3	Watch	Anna W.	Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind	Anytime my heart is broken, I like to a) make myself feel as miserable as possible b) choose the most rom-coms of rom-coms to make myself feel better about life again
4	Watch	Anna R.	Sex and the City	It's like having four extra girlfriends you hang out with.
5	Watch	Ashley A.	Take This Waltz	"Life has a gap in it. It just does. You don't go crazy trying to fill it like some lunatic."
6	Watch	Jordan G.	Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (continuously)	Sometimes, it's just what you need
7	Watch	Heather C.	My Sister's Keeper	This is my go-to CRY IT OUT movie. It's awfully heartbreaking, but gives a good old fashioned release of pent up tears!
8	Watch	Allie B	How I Met Your Mother	I'm actually rewatching it right now - Having an entirely different experience single (Now I'm Robin or Ted instead of Lily) and forgot how hilarious it is.
9	Watch	Vince R.	Swingers	I feel like this is the ultimate breakup movie for men. It made me realize I need to spend time with good friends and writing really gives solid advice on how to move on from a relationship that ended. It recently really pulled me out of the post-breakup pit of despair.
10	Watch	Kim K.	Singles	Grunge-era stars and music, gritty but hopeful.
11	Watch	Madeline M.	Doctor Who	This sci-fi world really got my mind out of reality for a little while, which really helped me. I connected to quite a few of the characters and I was able to make a lot of internet friends by bonding over the show.
12	Watch	Madeline M.	Something Borrowed	It's your stereotypical chick flick and kind of cheesy, though it never fails to make me cry. But I watched on repeat after one breakup and it helped me realize that my ex (and how he dumped me) could've been worse.
13	Watch	Madeline M.	When Harry Met Sally	This is my all-time favorite movie so I'm always watching it. But it helped cheer up the hopeless romantic in me after a particularly brutal breakup
14	Watch	Megan W	"When Love Arrives"" by Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye	Spoken Word Poetry. Watch it on youtube. I love poetry after a breakup. The moment: "Maybe Love stays. Maybe Love can't. Maybe Love shouldn't. Love arrives exactly when Love is suppose to and Love leaves exactly when Love must." Most powerful words I've ever heard.	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdJ6aUB2K4g
15	Watch	Christian	The Good Wife	Vengance by succeeding in life! The best remedy to get over the ex!
16	Watch	Sarah M.	The Last Five Years	It's truly depressing but is good to wallow in!
17	Watch	Sarah M.	Drinking Buddies	"That's the problem with heartbreak, to you it's like an atomic bomb and to the world it's just really cliche, because in the end we all have the same experience."
18	Watch	Emma J	Daydream Nation	There's something really satisfying about this movie. It always feels very theraputic to me.
19	Watch		John Mulaney's The Comeback Kid	Pure comedy gold that doesn't make you feel like shit. Lifesaver.
20	Watch	Stephanie S	Nature Programs or Documentaries	I can't watch anything that has to do with any type of relationships.
21	Watch	Meghan K	Rupaul's Drag Race	The best mix of fun, camp, and heart. It's all about being the most fabulous version of you.
22	Watch	Celeste M	Aguirre, The Wrath of God	It's really hard to think about anything else when Klaus Kinski is screaming and spitting on screen at you.
23	Watch	Celeste M	Only Lovers Left Alive	Because however eternal, undying your love is, it can't compare to actual vampire love.
24	Watch	Emer S.	Parks and Recreation	Nothing will make you feel like you can get back up again like Leslie Knope's indefatiguable resilience.
25	Watch	Marie A.	Coming to America	Watch something that never gets old to you and always makes you laugh.
26	Watch	Julia W.	Neon Genesis Evangelion	I can't explain it in one sentence, but watching a very dark, very intense anime about teenagers who are forced to fight unearthly demons inside of giant robots really helped me through my post-college breakup.
27	Watch	Angie M.	Any and all CW Shows.	Vampire Diaries/Gossip Girl/Hart of Dixie/Dawson's Creek/Felicity. All made for the youths but they're fun! That's what you need!
28	Watch	Caitlin M.	Insecure	Brilliant, funny show that depicts imperfect characters + imperfect relationships
29	Watch	Adina	Every season of 24	Sometimes you just can't watch a love story
30	Watch	Amanda M	Star Wars The Force Awakens	Honestly, I am not even that big of a Star Wars fan but I watched this movie two nights in a row once and it made me feel better for some reason. It was probably Carrie Fisher (RIP).
31	Watch	Heather C	Parks and Recreation	Or anything light and hilarious and nothing at all heavy - something that gives your sad mind a break and forces you to laugh, depsite yourself.
32	Watch	Mary H	The Last Five Years	This was a huge part of getting through my divorce. I first watched this movie only a few months before the divorce, and it was incredibly relatable for me. Plus, it's a musical, so not only could I watch it over and over I could also listen to and sing along with the soundtrack. It became this interesting indicator of how I was doing with the breakup: I started watching and sobbing throughout, or singing along and crying while walking home from the bus or whatever (I had a long period of crying in public a lot...). But as the months went by (it's been almost two years now since the divorce was final) I found myself watching it less and less, or when I did watch or listen the likelyhood of my bursting into tears lessened. I haven't watched it in...I'm not sure how long now, but several months, and the songs come up when I listen to my music on random, but it's more of a nostalgic feeling that I get from it now, rather than a visceral heartbreak type of feeling.
33	Watch	Anne A.	Amelie	i don't know why, but this movie just makes me better. Amelie is such a lovely alone person. She inspires me to be a lovely alone person, too.
34	Watch	Brooke C	An Unmarried Woman	1978! A wealthy woman from Manhattan's Upper East Side struggles to deal with her new identity and her sexuality after her husband of 16 years leaves her for a younger woman.
35	Watch	Helen S.	Frances Ha	I watched this movie right after my last breakup and it spoke so much to the pain of loss but also to the possibility of new beginnings. Also it's funny and charming and smart. All-around great film
36	Watch	Helen S.	(500) Days of Summer	Super corny but always gives some perspective. It finds the humour in a breakup, which can be so healing.
37	Watch	Liz D	Under the Tuscan Sun	It reminds you that life has so much love and happiness to offer outside of a romantic relationship which is exactly what you need to be reminded of when you feel like your heart's been punched out of your body.
38	Watch	Binh P.	The Break Up	It shows you that sometime the relationship ends, but you will survive, and you will be stronger in the process.
39	Watch	Bright Kelly	Truly, Madly, Deeply	You'll laugh, cry, and look forward
40	Watch	Connie	The Inbetweeners	Everything goes wrong for this set of British high school boys - makes you feel a little better knowing you're not them!
41	Watch	Julia Z.	The First Wives Club	Three women left by their husband s plot revenge and find themselves in the process. Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler - come on! Doesn't get better and funnier than this!
42	Watch	Jeannie G.	The Following	If you're like me and want super dark twisted things to show you that it could be worse.
43	Watch	Daneen J.	The Joy Luck Club	This movie makes me cry every. single. time!
44	Watch	Sunny C.	Podcasts: Why Oh Why, Dear Sugar, Death Sex & Money (obvs), WTF, Mental Illness Happy Hour, Strangers	I love a combination of funny with deep emotional dives. All my suggestions involve listening, which is a helpful strategy when combined with housecleaning, walking, or painting.
45	Watch	Garret E.	Bob Ross: The Joy of Painting	Just went through a break up, Bob Ross's calm and positive vibes can really tame any anger or sorrow you may be feeling, even if you're not into painting, his show will give you an overall warmer feeling.
46	Watch	Katie K.	The first three Harry Potter movies	Lots of engaging action and suspense to keep you occupied, no love interest until the 4th movie.
47	Watch	Leslie W.	Friends	Always better than what is happening to you, and significantly much more funny.
48	Watch	Dayana M.	One Day	Because "whatever happens tomorrow, we'll always have today"
49	Watch	Murph	Love Actually	My favorite feel good movie! Neat the way storylines are connected, like many romantic comedies in one. Liam Neeson's is probably my top one, Colin Firth's a close second!
50	Watch	Annie	Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt	Cause females are strong as hell.
51	Watch	Matias P.	Parks and Recreation	You will find yourself in at least one of the characters. Chris Treager's depression helped me realize I can come out of mine by sheer will, and seeing a therapist 14 times a week.
52	Watch	Nat A	Crazy Ex-Girlfriend	Female friendships ftw, and depicts stuff that happens in real life very honestly, warts and all. Also, basically a musical with jokes about period sex!
53	Watch	Nat A	Gone Girl	If you need to let some hate flow out, and will also remind you why sometimes it isn't great to be in a relationship
54	Watch	Nat A	Bojack Horseman	Beautifully nuanced study into depression, mental health, the lies we tell each other and ourselves... in a show about an animated horse. Strange but true!
55	Watch	Nat A	Broad City	These 2 queens are just hilarious. Their friendship is so uplifting and makes you want to live your best life; regardless of relationship status
56	Watch	Nat A	Inside Out	OK, OK it is a family film. But science (and the moral) about sadness being important really does ring true.
57	Watch	Nat A	YouTubers	This can be anyone, from Grace Helbig / Hanna Hart / Mamrie Hart, through to a beauty blogger, or even just someone playing on Twitch. If you don't have the energy to go out into the world, but want some company, this can operate (for a short while) as a reasonable substitute. And make you laugh, hopefully.
58	Watch	Lillie R	BOB'S BURGERS	THA BEST SHOW EVA! So funny, and quietly feminist too!
59	Watch	Emily M.	Better off Dead	Who doesn't love 80's John Cusack?
60	Watch	Rachelle V.	The person you really need to marry		https://youtu.be/P3fIZuW9P_M
61	Watch	Olivia H	Celeste and Jessie for ever	Beautiful movie, with all the stages of separation, and letting go.
62	Watch	Etta	Black Mirror - San Junipero	If you wanna cry it out
63	Watch	Etta	Mean Girls	If you need a laugh
64	Watch	Etta	Addams Family + Family Values	If you need a laugh...while admiring Morticia and Gomez's love
65	Watch	Emma R.	About a Boy	Hugh Grant at his loveliest featuring a young Nicholas Hoult. "It happens and I wish it didn't, but that's life isn't it?"
66	Watch	Anonymous	Nowness Presents	A short video to remind us not to call the ex.	https://www.nowness.com/picks/still?utm_source=FB&utm_medium=SM&utm_campaign=FB220217
67	Watch	Caitlin S.	Jane the Virigin	It has drama, comedy, and feel good, heartfelt moments. In those moments, you can feel emotionally supported and warm and see perhaps some of the things you weren't getting before. The plot is insane, but the characters are very easy to empathize with and its cathartic to watch and does help with that emotional processing
68	Watch	Katie K	The first three Harry Potter movies	Engaging action, great plots, NO ROMANCE until the fourth movie!
69	Watch	Ruth R	Don't trust the bitch in apt 23	Chloe is the most empowering crazy alcoholic in this story. Excellent distraction plus James Van Der Beek
70	Watch	Courtney D	Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Pedro Almodovar)	Funny movie, it was helpful for me to smile during a tough breakup
71	Watch	SI	In the Mood for Love	I've watched this movie after both of my big breakups--it's so beautiful
72	Watch	MEK	Supernatural	Somehow episode after episode of Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles dropping monsters made me feel better...
73	Watch	Eric	Girls	Strangely, watching raw honest emotion (the good and the ugly) helped.
74	Watch	Daniela	Brooklyn 99	Funny and not overly centred around relationships - however the episodes with Boyle's break up recovery after Vivian left him were super relatable to my mental state in a hilarious rather than sad way
75	Watch	Elena M.	My Girlfriend's Boyfriend (stand-up special by Mike Birbiglia)	Really sweet and really funny and gives me hope in human relationships when mine are being shitty.
76	Watch	Gwendolyn Z	Romy and Michele's High School Reunion	Girls need their girls and life is better if you're weird.
77	Watch	Molly G.	Dumb Ways To Die	Nothing to do with breakups, but it always makes me laugh, and if you're angry enough, you could imagine your ex doing all of these things	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJNR2EpS0jw
78	Watch	Steph P.	500 Days of Summer	Feel it out. The films that made me feel the best were ones that focused on romantic relationships that ended.
79	Watch	Gintare	A Good Year	The one with Russell Crowe. Just something about it, makes me feel there's way bigger things out there!
80	Watch	Jill J.	Roman Holiday	Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn have the most intense connection, and then...uff
81	Think	Emer S.	Redefine success in a relationship	As Dan Savage has said on his podccast, is a relationship really a failure just because it ended (even if it ended poorly)? What good/successful things happened in your past relationship that you want to make sure future relationships have? What did you learn in the "trial and error" process?
82	Think	Emer S.	Focus on other forms of love	Love is so much more than a romantic relationship. When I was single, I poured my energy into love of my family, friends, and community. Those foundations have lasted longer than any lover has, and often has been more rewarding for my sense of self and well-being.
83	Think	Adina	“There are all kinds of love in this world but never the same love twice.”	This is one of the only things that ever comforted me
84	Think	Amanda M	Sometimes there are no answers, or reasons, or explanations. Sometimes you just have to realize...they got to you. And that's okay.
85	Think	Emma	"Filled with despair may I recognize the universe rising to greet and comfort me"	The smallest things such as a warm patch of sun or smile from a bus driver felt powerful like never before
86	Think	Emma	"Aching with pain and loneliness may I hold myself in love and compassion; and remember, every life contains these things"
87	Think	Kim K.	"You must do the thing you think you cannot do" Eleanor Roosevelt	It's a great reminder to be strong and keep moving forward, even when you feel like you can't. Also works for marathons, triathalons, etc.
88	Think	Sarah M	You are not a terrible person for wanting to break up with someone you love.	You don’t need a reason to leave. Wanting to leave is enough. Leaving doesn’t mean you’re incapable of real love or that you’ll never love anyone else again. It doesn’t mean you’re morally bankrupt or psychologically demented or a nymphomaniac. It means you wish to change the terms of one particular relationship. That’s all. Be brave enough to break your own heart.
89	Think	Glenda W	Every relationship serves a purpose. Just because this one is over doesn't mean it's a failure.
90	Think	Glenda W	Being alone is ok. You can be a whole (and fulfilled person) without being in a relationship
91	Think	Heather C	"Its not right and its not fair and its not okay, these are all true things. But no matter what happened, they are pointless to dwell on now. You can choose to be lighter, to be better and one day you will be"
92	Think	Heather C	It may take time. This is okay.
93	Think	Heather C	"I can do this, and then, even if I can't, I must"
94	Think	Michael D.	Avoid assigning too much weight to very sad thoughts right now.	There are a lot of neurotransmitters flooding your brain right now and they may result in some really big downers. In time, you'll likely be able to see some of these thoughts as a bit more extreme than was warranted by the facts.
95	Think	Julie J	Everything is temporary, including the way you feel right now. Just as your happy relationship ended, so will this sadness. Until then, just keep moving.
96	Think	Anne A.	whenever i feel alone or lonely or like i can't depend on anyone, i remember what harriet the spy wrote in her new notebook after the entire class read her journal and began hating her: "i love myself."	it is such a comfort to remember that no matter who you lose in your life, you always have yourself. and sometimes it helps to remember that the people you've lost are somewhere inside, in a memory, or a way of thinking.
97	Think	Liz D.	Everyone jumps in to tell you that healing will come, "just give it time."	And although in the moment you will want to scream at these people and their stupid, useless "advice", there will come a day when you'll look back and, even more annoyingly, realize they were right. And as frustrating and useless as "give it time" is, it's comforting to know that it really is true
98	Think	Susan B.	Just because someone doesn't love you doesn't mean you are unloveable.	During my senior year in college, I broke up with the first man I'd ever fallen in love with after he fell out of love with me. Also that year, I took an elective called Human Sexuality. During a class discussion on relationships, the teacher said this to the class. It's an assertion I've come back to many times since then because when you go through a break-up, you often think no one else will love you ever again. The fact is that someone else does and/or will love you, in some capacity, at some point. Because you are worth loving.
99	Think	Julia Z.	Why would I even want someone back who has consciously rejected and hurt me?	My Dad asked me this question years ago, when I was crying over a break up and plotting with my sister how to get him back. He just looked at me incredulously and asked: "But why would you want him back after he treated you so badly?" Thanks, Dad. He was and still is right.
100	Think	Katie M.	"You let time pass. That’s the cure. You survive the days. You float like a rabid ghost through the weeks. You cry and wallow and lament and scratch your way back up through the months. And then one day you find yourself alone on a bench in the sun and you close your eyes and lean your head back and you realize you’re okay."	From a Cheryl Strayed Dear Sugar column, asking how to get over a breakup.