When a relationship ends, the emotional weight can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to move on from someone you loved deeply. Forgetting someone isn’t easy, and conventional advice often feels hollow. While time and patience help, there are some unusual but effective ways to help ease the process of letting go. Here are seven unconventional approaches that might surprise you but could be just what you need to start healing.
1. Rearrange Your Space
One of the most underrated ways to start forgetting someone is by physically changing your surroundings. We often don’t realize how much our environment keeps memories alive. If your space is filled with items or even furniture arrangements that remind you of him, it can be hard to move on. By rearranging your space, you’re creating a new environment that reflects your present, not the past. Move furniture around, change your wall décor, buy new bedsheets, or add some fresh plants. These small changes can make a big difference in your mental state. It’s almost like telling your mind, “Things are different now,” which helps in gradually detaching from the old memories.
2. Learn Something New—Especially If It’s Hard
Engaging in something completely outside your comfort zone is another unusual but effective way to forget someone. If you’ve never been interested in cooking, now might be the time to start a cooking class. If learning a new language has always seemed daunting, this is your chance. Challenging yourself to learn something new takes your mind off your ex because you’re focused on a fresh goal. Not only does it occupy your brain with something different, but it also rebuilds your confidence as you achieve new skills. Plus, the more time you spend learning, the less time you spend dwelling on the past.
3. Write A Letter—But Don’t Send It
This might sound strange, but writing a heartfelt letter to your ex that you never intend to send can be a powerful way to let go. In the letter, write everything you want to say. Express your anger, your sadness, your regrets, and your hopes for the future. Pouring your feelings into words is incredibly therapeutic. Once you’re done, don’t mail it—destroy it. Tear it up, burn it, or delete it if it’s digital. This ritual is a symbolic way to release all the emotions tied to that person and helps you move forward without the emotional baggage.
4. Try Hypnotherapy or Guided Meditation
This may seem a little unconventional, but hypnotherapy or guided meditation designed to help people move on from relationships can be surprisingly effective. These techniques work by accessing your subconscious mind, where many deep emotions and memories are stored. A skilled hypnotherapist can help you reframe those memories or guide you in breaking emotional attachments. Likewise, guided meditations focused on letting go of past relationships can offer you a calm space to mentally disconnect from your ex. The key is repetition; the more you practice, the more you’ll find your thoughts shifting away from him.
5. Create New Memories—In The Same Places
One unusual but powerful method of forgetting him is by revisiting places you used to go together—but this time, go alone or with friends. The idea is to overwrite old memories with new, positive experiences. If you used to have a favorite café where you always went on dates, go back there with a close friend and make new memories in that space. If you went on road trips together, take a solo trip or go with a group of friends. It may feel odd at first, but over time, you’ll find that the place becomes more about the new experience and less about the past relationship.
6. Create A Vision Board For Your Future
Instead of focusing on what you’ve lost, focus on what you want to gain. Creating a vision board is an excellent way to redirect your energy. Gather magazines, images, quotes, and anything else that resonates with the future you want to build for yourself. Visualizing your dreams, goals, and desires can help shift your focus from the past to the exciting possibilities ahead. This practice not only helps you dream again but also gives you a tangible reminder of what you’re working toward every time you feel the urge to dwell on your ex.
7. Host A “Goodbye Party” For Your Relationship
One unusual but therapeutic approach is to throw a “goodbye party” for your relationship. Invite a small group of your closest friends, and make it a night dedicated to celebrating your journey moving forward. Share stories, laugh about the past, and talk about all the new things you’re excited about in life. The idea isn’t to dwell on the breakup but to mark the end of that chapter and the beginning of a new one. It might feel a little odd at first, but having a symbolic moment to say goodbye can provide closure in ways that few other things can.
Final Thoughts
Forgetting someone you loved is never easy, and the journey of moving on is deeply personal. What works for one person might not work for another, and that’s okay. These seven unusual ways offer a different perspective on letting go—whether it’s through changing your space, creating new memories, or learning something new, the goal is to help you move forward in a way that feels right for you.
Remember, healing takes time, and it’s okay to have setbacks. Be gentle with yourself as you move through the process, and trust that little by little, you’ll start to feel whole again.
