Is It Possible to Move Forward After Infidelity?

You never thought you’d be here. No matter how long you and your partner were together, you never thought it would come to this. No matter how many scenarios you played in your head, this one never came up.

Living in the aftermath feels like a false sense of reality. You’re questioning whether you’re dreaming, but it feels like a nightmare. Your partner was unfaithful.

What happens next? Do you stay or do you go? Is it possible to move forward after infidelity? Let’s find out.

Allow Yourself to Feel

Experiencing something like infidelity can bring a mixture of emotions. You need to give yourself time and grace to grieve and feel all of those emotions instead of trying to bury them inside of yourself. One of the few ways to actually acknowledge those emotions and allow yourself to move forward is to sit with them. This is easier said than done, but it’s more beneficial in the long run. Even though this step is uncomfortable, it’s necessary so that you can work towards being in a clearer headspace to determine your next steps.

Don’t Play the Blame Game

First things first, it’s important to not play the blame game. You weren’t the one who made your partner cheat, so you can’t blame yourself for that happening. You may be trying to search for reasons on why they did this, but there’s nothing that you could’ve done differently that would have changed that.

Their actions are only on them, not you. Your decision to move forward after being cheated on is only yours to make. If your partner is willing and able to take full responsibility for their actions and behaviors and do the internal work necessary, you both may be able to move forward together. If they choose to play the blame game, it’s probably beneficial to crucially examine your next steps.

    Practice Self-Care

    If you’re feeling down about yourself after finding out about a partner’s infidelity, you’re not alone. This is a normal stage while going through the aftermath. Your confidence and self-esteem took a hit, and you need to work to make sure you’re rebuilding yourself again. Take some time to put yourself first again. Now is the perfect opportunity to do the things you’ve been planning on doing, but told yourself that you didn’t have the time to do. Take care of yourself and find activities that bring you joy and peace.

      Be Open and Honest

      When you’re ready, you need to sit down with your partner and have an open and honest conversation with them about what happened. No matter if you’re planning on trying to work things out or end your relationship together, this conversation is necessary. Either way, you need to set a plan in place on how your relationship will look moving forward.

      If you decide to stay together and work on the relationship, you need to ensure that you’re both working to clearly identify your wants, needs, boundaries, and expectations you have for one another and the relationship. If you choose to end the relationship, the closure can be a great way to solidify your decision so that you won’t be second guessing yourself.

      Consider Therapy

      Moving forward after infidelity is possible. How you choose to move forward is completely up to you. Determining what life will look like after infidelity takes time. You need to sit with those emotions before you’re able to make any final decisions.

      If you need extra help to work through your thoughts and feelings, consider reaching out to an outside third party for support. A therapist can offer individual or couples therapy to help you and your partner in a safe and secure space.

      Infidelity isn’t easy, but a therapist can help provide a fresh perspective to help you and your partner determine your next steps. Reach out today to get started.

       

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