Summary of "Can We Not Let Our Breakups Break Us | Tasha Jackson | TEDxCSULB"
Key Wellness Strategies, Self-Care Techniques, and Productivity Tips from Tasha Jackson’s TEDx Talk
Acknowledge Loneliness and Connection Needs
- Recognize that loneliness is a serious epidemic, especially after breakups.
- Understand that human connection is essential for happiness and mental health.
Understand Emotional and Physical Responses to Breakups
- Breakups can cause physical symptoms and trauma held at a cellular level.
- Emotional withdrawal from oxytocin (the love hormone) and cortisol stress floods the brain, causing confusion and pain.
Healthy Coping Mechanisms
- Control what you can: prioritize eating well, sleeping, drinking water, and deep breathing.
- Use all five senses to stay present and grounded.
- Avoid unhealthy habits like emotional eating, excessive drinking, or online distractions.
Create New Rituals and Movement
- Engage in physical activity to get your heart pumping (e.g., morning walks with music).
- Experiment with rituals that symbolize change (e.g., burning mementos with friends, buying new bed sheets).
Allow Yourself to Feel and Process Emotions
- Validate your pain and allow yourself to cry—tears help release stress hormones.
- Understand mourning is individual, with no fixed timeline or recipe.
- Resist suppressing feelings to avoid future destructive behaviors.
Combat Nostalgia and Fear
- Write down reasons the relationship didn’t work and review them to counter rose-colored memories.
- Set firm boundaries with your ex to avoid relapse into emotional pain.
- Visualize hope and positive outcomes despite the brain’s tendency to focus on fear.
Social Support and Connection
- Resist isolation; reach out to friends even if it feels like a burden.
- Accept help and emotional support from others.
- Recognize that healing may require new relationships or support from those who understand you better.
Reframe Breakups and Practice Self-Compassion
- Redefine “failed” relationships as “completed” rather than negative.
- See heartbreak as a natural part of life and growth.
- Practice ongoing self-compassion, acknowledging that healing is a lifelong process.
Growth and Learning from Past Relationships
- Reflect on what past relationships taught you about yourself and your needs.
- Use those lessons as fuel for personal development and future happiness.
Optimism and Resilience
- Dream of a world where heartbreak doesn’t break us but instead strengthens us.
- Embrace the cycle of crashing, burning, healing, and trying again.
Presenter / Source
Tasha Jackson Psychotherapist and TEDx Speaker
Category
Wellness and Self-Improvement
