Your Healing Plan
Forty easy tips to make your healing plan, so each week brings you closer to peace and hope.
Heal with a plan. Small steps each week.
40 tips that really help
These ideas come from How to Fix a Broken Heart (Guy Winch), Conscious Uncoupling (Katherine Woodward Thomas), Radical Acceptance (Tara Brach), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.
A plan gives structure
Healing is easier with small, regular steps. A plan makes you feel in control.
Write one.
Write your goal in one sentence
For example, in three months I want to feel calm and open to the future. Clear aims guide you.
Write it.
Plan self-care basics
Sleep, meals, movement and rest. Put them in your week.
Plan them.
Plan support
List friends and services to call. Add weekly meet-ups.
List five.
Plan fun and joy
Schedule things you love, such as films, walks or crafts. Joy heals.
Plan three.
Plan growth
Choose a course, a book or a project. Growth gives purpose.
Choose one.
Plan boundaries
Decide limits on contact, social media and old topics. Protect your peace.
Set them.
Plan for hard days
Write a list of what helps, such as a call or a walk. Keep it handy.
Write it.
Review weekly
Look at what helped and what did not. Adjust gently.
Review.
Celebrate steps
Mark milestones with small treats. Celebration builds hope.
Celebrate.
Seek professional help if needed
If you are stuck, a counsellor can guide you. Many find it helpful.
Consider it.
Example: the weekly plan
Lena wrote a weekly plan with walks, friends and a course. Three months later, she felt hopeful.
Make a plan.
Example: the hard-day list
Tom kept a list on his phone of what helped. It rescued him on tough days.
Write a list.
Example: the review
Each Sunday, Mina reviewed her week and added one kind step. It built momentum.
Review Sundays.
Script: goal
In three months I want to feel calm, strong and open to the future. Say it clearly.
Use it.
Script: caring
I will take care of my body and mind this week. Say it gently.
Use it.
Script: asking
Could we walk together on Saturday? Say it warmly.
Use it.
Script: celebrating
I am proud of the steps I took this week. Say it sincerely.
Use it.
Mistake: expecting a straight line of progress
Healing goes up and down, so be patient.
Be patient.
Mistake: making the plan too heavy
Keep it light and doable, so choose a few steps.
Keep it light.
Troubleshoot: when you feel stuck
Return to basics: sleep, food, movement and one friend. Consider a counsellor.
Return to basics.
Troubleshoot: when anniversaries or triggers hurt
Plan comfort, company and a kind activity in advance. Be gentle.
Plan comfort.
Troubleshoot: when you slip into old habits
Restart kindly and note what triggered it. Slips are not failures.
Restart.
Drill: write your one-page healing plan
Include goal, care, support, fun and review.
Write it.
Book idea: heal on purpose
Guy Winch’s work suggests that recovery from heartbreak is faster when you treat it as a plan with daily actions and not only as waiting.
Write a plan.
Book idea: the three pillars
Many therapists group healing into care for the body, the mind and relationships, so a simple plan covers all three.
Cover all three.
Myth: healing is passive
Time helps, but small active choices speed and steady recovery.
Act daily.
Myth: a plan must be perfect
A simple plan you can follow is better than a perfect plan you drop.
Keep it simple.
Story: Mina writes a one-page plan
Mina listed daily habits, weekly friends and monthly goals, and said having a page to follow made her feel safe.
Write one page.
Story: Femi reviews monthly
Femi reviewed his plan each month, celebrated progress and adjusted, and said it kept him moving.
Review monthly.
Mini habit: review your plan briefly each morning
A short check keeps you on track.
Start tomorrow.
Journal: what does my life look like when I feel healed?
Describing it gives your plan a clear picture to move toward.
Write a paragraph.
Journal: what are my top three needs this month?
Focus keeps your plan simple and kind.
Write three.
Challenge: write your plan with one habit for body, one for mind and one for connection
A balanced plan covers the whole of you.
Do it tonight.
Challenge: share your plan with one supportive person
Accountability and encouragement help you keep going.
Choose someone.
Quick win: put your plan on your phone or fridge where you see it daily
A visible plan is far more likely to be followed.
Do it now.
Mini habit: read your plan for one minute each morning
A short daily look keeps you on track with your healing.
Start tomorrow.
Say this: I am healing a little more each day
A gentle and true sentence for hard mornings.
Use it.
Green flag: you feel hopeful when you read your plan
Hope is a precious sign of healing.
Notice it.
Red flag: you feel worse for many weeks despite real effort and support
Seek help from a doctor or counsellor, because you deserve more support.
Reach out this week.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many love and relationship moments.
“I have a healing plan.”
“I take care of myself.”
“I lean on friends.”
“I keep my lessons.”
“I look ahead.”
“I am healing.”
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
Write your goals
Plan self-care
Plan support
Plan fun
Plan growth
Review weekly
Celebrate
Further reading
- How to Fix a Broken Heart (Guy Winch)
- Conscious Uncoupling (Katherine Woodward Thomas)
- Radical Acceptance (Tara Brach)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
Keep your place and keep growing
Create a free account to save your progress and pick up the next lesson where you stopped. No card needed.
Start freeThese lessons share general learning and everyday ideas. They are not medical or mental health advice. If you feel very anxious, low or unwell, please talk to a doctor or a qualified professional.
More lessons in “Breakups, Healing and Starting Again”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: Date Again With Hope
- Know When a Relationship Is Over
- Try to Fix It First, If It Is Safe
- Talk to a Trusted Friend or Counsellor
- Plan the Conversation Kindly
- Break Up Without Cruelty
- Say What Needs to Be Said
- Handle Mutual Friends and Shared Things
- No Contact or Friendship?
- Let Yourself Grieve
- Stop Checking Their Social Media
- Take Care of Your Body and Mind
- Lean on Friends and Family
- Learn What You Want Next Time
- Forgive and Let Go
- Rebuild Your Confidence
- Start New Habits and Goals
- Know When You Are Ready to Date Again
- Avoid Rebounds That Hurt
- Date Again With Hope
- Your Healing Plan
