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Witch Weekly · February 18, 2019 – 1:54 AM

Handling Heartbreak: How To Recover From A Broken Engagement or Courtship
At Witch Weekly, we hope our readers will never need this advice. Following on a season of love, however, it seems prudent to offer some encouragement for those whose romantic hopes have fallen through. While it is certainly a major setback, a broken engagement or an ended courtship need not be the end of your social or romantic life, if you follow our tips for recovering.

1. Be social, but not too social.
After a romantic disappointment, it can be tempting to lock oneself away from society for a bit and wallow in self pity. Giving in to these urges will only lead you down the path of Adelia Lovegood, and obviously no one wants that. Make every effort to maintain your normal social engagements to tell potential future suitors you have not shut your heart off to the idea of love. At the same time, being excessively cheerful (particularly if you aren't feeling cheerful at all) is also problematic as you might scare off a potential beau by appearing shallow or cold-hearted.

2. Avoid the man who broke your heart.
As tempting as it can be to try and seek answers or spark the old flame, you must resist seeking out your former love. If you are attending the same party, stick to different conversation circles. Do not bring him up in conversation if at all avoidable. If you must speak of him, do so only briefly and in terms that betray neither affection nor distaste. Someone unfamiliar with your history should suspect only that you are acquainted, nothing more.

3. Dispose of all his gifts.
A proper gentleman should only give foods or flowers to a woman, so that she has no lingering mementos until the relationship is permanent as well. That being said, men have been known to break with tradition when in the throes of passion and sentimental women often keep even trifles from men they are enamored with. If you have anything of value, return it to him via post. Anything merely sentimental, such as pressed flowers, locks of hair, or short notes, should be thrown out. They will only serve as painful reminders in the short term and could raise troubling questions should you find another gentleman to court you later on.

4. Focus your energy elsewhere.
If you have a hobby you enjoy, such as cross-stitch, start a new project. Occupation will keep both you hands and mind busy while your heart mends. If you aren't the crafty type, you may also find solace in a new charitable cause or a new pet you can lavish attention on. For ladies of means, or for those attempting to flee a particularly vivid scandal, a holiday may be advisable, but must be weighed against the detriment of your absence from the social scene — see tip one.

5. Write in a journal.
Even if you're not the type to generally keep a journal, a diary can help during times of particular emotional stress. Try formatting your entries as letters to your former beau — better that than trying to actually send him any! This is also a good outlet instead of complaining to your friends, which may lead to unwanted gossip. If you don't know what to write, make lists. Start with things you will miss about your former flame, then move on to annoying habits, then to their worst flaws. Write yourself out of your infatuation.

6. Indulge in Voodoo.
If all else fails and you're really hurting, find something you associate with the one who broke your heart and do something violent with it. Burn their letters, stab a doll transfigured to have their face, or hurl a picture of them into a river. This can feel surprisingly cathartic. Please note that we are not advocating actual Haitian sympathetic magic, and any torture-by-proxy exacted using these methods may be punishable by the Ministry of Magic.

Be sure to get rid of all gifts and sentimental items.

An example of exacting physical revenge with an approximation of your former love, as in voodoo magic.

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