11 GIFs That Show How You Feel After A Breakup

When my college boyfriend left me just over a year after we graduated and moved to New York City together, I honestly thought I’d never love anyone again. I was convinced that I’d used up all of my love on him and that not only would I never heal from the heartbreak, but I’d also never meet someone who suited me as well as he did. It took almost two years for me to get over that breakup and, honestly, I didn’t really believe I’d fall in love again until I met my current boyfriend, who has proven to be a much better match for me.

That was my second major breakup; the first was when I left my high school boyfriend to go to college. Between the two, I’ve come up with an image that I like to share with friends who are going through breakups. I picture an anatomical heart that has been split in two. When you first break up, the heart is in two completely separate pieces but as time goes on, the pieces start to heal and rejoin. But then something happens — you see them unexpectedly at a party or you find out they have a new significant other or you find their old sweater that you loved to wear around the house stuffed in the back of your closet — and the crack opens up a little wider again.

That process of healing and then re-opening that wound repeats over and over and over again — but each time, the crack gets smaller. Eventually, you can run into them at the grocery store and not feel anything more than you’d feel for a random person you haven’t seen in a long time. That’s when you know that the two pieces have joined back together and you’re over the breakup — and it’s a beautiful, beautiful moment.

But until that happens, there are plenty of ups and downs that come with a breakup. Here are 11 GIFs from Beyoncé's Lemonade that perfectly illustrate your feelings about a breakup.

1. When You're Convinced You'll Never Love Again

2. When You Run Into Them Unexpectedly

3. When You're So Over It But Can't Seem To Actually Get Over It

5. When You Finally Start To Get Pissed

4. When You Realize They Were A Jerk

6. But Then You Find Their Favorite T-Shirt In The Back Of Your Closet

7. When You Realize You're Hot AF And Single Again

8. When You Find Out They Have A New SO

9. When Your Squad Has Your Back, No Matter What

10. When All You Want Is Someone To Cuddle

11. And When You're Finally Ready To Let Them Go

Images: Giphy (11); Pexels