How To Glow Up After a Breakup And Make Your Ex Regret

Breakups suck.

Let’s just be real. No sugarcoating it.

Whether you were the one who ended things or the one who got left, the pain still hits you like a truck you didn’t see coming. One minute you’re planning vacations, the next you’re deleting old photos and crying over memes that remind you of them. Ugh.

But here’s the thing: that breakup? It might be the best thing that ever happened to you.

No, really.

Because it’s the perfect excuse to glow up like never before. And I don’t just mean putting on a new shade of lipstick or finally doing 3 squats at the gym (although, yes, do that too). I mean the full-on emotional, mental, spiritual, physical GLOW-UP.

This is your rise from the ashes moment.

Let’s dive into it, babe.

1. Practice self-love

Yeah, yeah, we’ve all heard it. “Love yourself.” Sounds like a quote on a mug from HomeGoods, right?

But no, seriously. Self-love after a breakup is not just a buzzword. It’s your lifeline.

When you’ve been with someone for a while, your identity gets all mixed up with theirs. Your plans. Your routines. Your Saturday Netflix schedule. Even the weird inside jokes only the two of you understood (and you’ll randomly laugh at them now and people will look at you like you’re unstable… it’s fine).

Now, it’s time to uncouple all of that and come back to YOU.

Self-love isn’t just bubble baths and face masks (although those are great). It’s:

• Letting yourself cry if you need to
• Saying no to people who drain your energy
• Choosing what feels good over what feels familiar
• Being kind to yourself on the bad days and really kind on the okay ones

You’re not being selfish. You’re just finally choosing yourself. As you should.

2. Reflect on the lessons you’ve learned from the relationship

Let’s be honest: when we’re fresh out of a breakup, the last thing we want to do is think about the relationship again. Like… can we not?

But here’s the thing. Reflection is power.

Sit down and think about what actually happened. What worked? What didn’t? What patterns kept popping up? And don’t just blame them (even if they were 97% of the problem… hehehe). Own your side too.

Maybe you ignored red flags. Maybe you weren’t vocal about your needs. Maybe you bent too much to make it work.

Cool. Now you know better.

Journal it. Voice-note it. Talk it out with your bestie. But don’t skip this step.

Every heartbreak has a lesson. And if you learn it, you glow even brighter.

3. Boost your self-esteem by doing things that make you feel good about yourself

Here’s the truth: you won’t glow if you feel like trash inside.

Your self-esteem might have taken a hit during the relationship, especially if you were with someone who didn’t hype you up the way you deserved. But guess what? It’s glow-up time.

Do things that remind you who the heck you are.

That could be:

• Finishing a project you’ve been procrastinating on
• Cooking a bomb meal and being like “I did THAT”
• Getting back into your hobbies (remember those?)
• Wearing that outfit you loved but your ex “didn’t really like” (bye)

Small wins matter. Stack them up.

And remind yourself that you’re not just good enough. You’re amazing.

You’ve always been the whole damn package. Maybe they just couldn’t read the label.

4. Cut off contact with your ex at least for a little while

Oof. This one’s hard.

But if you really wanna glow, you need some distance. Emotional detox, baby.

Delete their number (or at least change their name to “Do Not Text Stupid Decision” to help you remember during weak moments). Mute their stories. Don’t stalk their new boo’s sister’s Instagram. It only hurts you.

Trust me, if they really miss you, they’ll find a way to reach out. But right now? You need space to heal without being pulled back into the drama.

Also… and I say this with love… please stop checking if they watched your stories. That’s not closure. That’s digital self-torture.

Go cold turkey if you can. Or warm turkey. Just… less turkey, okay?

5. Focus on the other areas of your life that need attention

Breakups come with this weird side effect: you suddenly have all this time.

Time you used to spend texting them, seeing them, thinking about them, watching shows with them, arguing about stupid stuff like “what should we eat.”

Now? That energy is yours again.

So, what do you do with it?

• Finally launch that side hustle you’ve been dreaming about
• Go hard in the gym
• Take a class. Learn something random and cool. Candle-making? Why not.
• Fix your sleep schedule (seriously)
• Organize your space. A clean space = a calm mind

Basically, shift the spotlight back onto you. It’s your stage now. Own it.

6. Start accepting the breakup and healing right away

You know what slows down a glow-up? Denial.

Thinking “maybe they’ll come back” or “maybe we just need a break” can keep you stuck in this weird emotional limbo that does nothing for your peace.

You need to grieve. Like, fully grieve.

That means ugly crying. Ranting to your friends. Watching sad movies. Eating ice cream and talking to your plants.

Feel it all.

But don’t stay there.

Acceptance doesn’t mean you’re okay with what happened. It just means you’re ready to stop hoping for the past and start building your future.

And that’s where the glow begins.

7. Find a new beauty routine that makes you feel better

Let’s talk glow-ups in the literal sense.

This is your chance to switch things up. Not because you need to look different to feel better, but because change can be healing. New haircut, new outfit, new vibe. Who dis?

Try:

• That hairstyle you were scared to do
• A bold lipstick that screams “I’m back, baby”
• Switching up your perfume
• Doing a closet cleanse and donating stuff that no longer feels like you

Even something as small as painting your nails can shift your energy.

And hey, if you wanna do a full transformation and step out looking like a rom-com main character in the final scene… I support it fully.

8. Don’t rush into another relationship too quickly

Look. Rebounds feel good in the moment.

You get attention. You feel wanted. You distract yourself.

But if you’re not careful, you’ll end up repeating the same mess just with a new face. And then you’re heartbroken all over again, like some twisted emotional Groundhog Day.

So give yourself a breather.

Be alone.

And I mean alone-alone. Not “emotionally involved with 3 people on the low” alone.

Use this time to reconnect with yourself, your values, your dreams, your weird quirks. Fall in love with your life before trying to bring someone else into it.

You’re not hard to love. You just need to make sure you’re being loved the right way next time. And for that, you gotta be solid with yourself first.

9. Find hobbies that help you feel like you again

Remember when you used to draw? Or dance in your room? Or write poems no one ever saw?

Yeah. That part of you is still in there.

Breakups can feel like identity theft. Like someone came in and stole your spark.

But hobbies? They bring that spark back.

Try everything. Paint badly. Learn guitar. Bake cakes even if they collapse. Start journaling. Build Pinterest boards. Dance in your kitchen.

You’re not doing these things to be productive. You’re doing them to feel alive again.

And you will. One step at a time.

10. And finally… make peace with the fact that they might regret losing you (but that’s not the point)

Yes, this blog says “make your ex regret it.”

And they might. One day, they’ll see you glowing. Living. Laughing. Flourishing. And they’ll wonder why they let you go.

But here’s the twist: your glow-up isn’t about them.

It’s about you.

By the time they regret it, you’ll be too busy thriving to care.

Your energy will be too expensive. Your peace will be protected. Your standards? Way higher.

So let them regret it if they do.

That’s not your business anymore.

Your business now is YOU.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t just a glow-up.

It’s a glow-back to the real you.

The one who deserves joy, love, freedom, passion, and peace. The one who laughs loud and loves hard. The one who’s been there all along, waiting to take center stage.

You’re not just getting over a breakup. You’re becoming someone you’re proud of.

And honestly? That’s the kind of glow that no amount of contour can fake.

Go shine.💖