You just got out of a relationship, and you've exhausted the box of chocolates, the bottle of Jameson and the pack of Kleenex. None of it has helped you dig yourself out of the dark hole of heartbreak.
Perfect time for a vacation, wouldn't you say?
Author of "Travel Therapy: Where Do You Need To Go?" Karen Schaler spoke to CNN about the boons of taking a trip after turmoil with a former loved one.
"Traveling is an ideal way to reboot and refresh after a divorce because it gives you a chance to physically and mentally get some distance," she said.
After her nasty breakup with an ex-boyfriend, Schaler took a five-night long vacation in Waikiki with her mother. Not only did it reboot her severed heart, it created a travel ritual that rekindled her relationship with mom.
"It turned out to be one of the best trips I've ever taken and a new tradition for mom and I to do a special trip together every year," Schaler said.
Perhaps you should give it a shot, if only for your own sanity. Here are a few tips for your post-heartache trip.
Go somewhere sunny
It's a no-brainer to travel to a ray-soaked location when you're in the pits. The sun emits Vitamin D, which is a crucial player in heightened levels of happiness. Think about a coastal town, where you can spend time outside. When it's sunny out, people also flock to public outdoor locations-that's perfect for meeting a new group of friends.
Consider: The San Francisco Bay Area. Riviera Maya, Mexico. Raglan Beach, New Zealand.
Take a chance
Now's the time to go out on a limb, when you're especially fearful and fresh: harness the aggression and exhaustion that riddles your breakup and take it to go. Book a trip for that place you've always wanted to go but have put it on your to-do list, get on a cruise ship you've never been on, (another great way to meet people), or participate in extreme activities like bungee jumping or skydiving. Why not?
Consider: scuba diving in the Egyptian Red Sea. Walking the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City. Going to the top of Taiwan 101, the second tallest building in the world.
Leave the ex at home
In senses both proverbial and literal, you must separate yourself. Turn off your phone, travel alone if you need to, and do not go to any place that might remind you of your former significant other. Got ghosts of their in-laws in Asheville, North Carolina? How about memories of a lovely honeymoon in Oahu? Steer clear of these locations in favor of somewhere new, where you can create your own memories for yourself.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
