Should You Delete Your Ex's Pictures?

Breakups suck. Sorry, but I just can't put it any other way. It's like taking the wrong piece out of your Jenga tower; one swipe and your carefully crafted masterpiece falls apart. Much like how life feels after a heartbreak. It takes time and effort to put the tower back together. But it does stand again.

Join me as I talk about if deleting your ex's picture is going to help you re-construct the tower faster. In the words of the lovely Taylor Swift, let's find out if just another "Picture To Burn" might be what you need to move on!

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Ever heard of the phrase "Out of sight, Out of Mind"? I call this the mantra for moving on. It means not missing or obsessing over something that is not in your vicinity. In other words, you are more likely to forget someone if you don't have any visual or physical reminders of them near you.

It's kind of like going on a diet. At first, you might avoid going to Dominoes, knowing all too well that once you step inside, you definitely will end up scarfing down an entire stuffed cheese garlic bread. But once enough time has passed, you learn to live without it, you move on. So much so that even the sight of that yummy choco lava cake will not be able to break your resolve.

That about sums up the concept of Out of sight, Out of Mind. The reason I love this dictum is because it gives a certain level of power to the human mind and heart. Breakups can cripple a person until they forget the meaning and objective of themselves. It leaves a hole in your heart, as now you are no longer associated with the person you thought would be your forever. It gives you a feeling of hopelessness and a lack of control over yourself and your life. Moving 0n, consequently, feels like a mountain that cannot be passed.

This statement, however, reminds you that you are the boss, the one who'll choose how to heal and deal with the aftermath. The moment you discard the reminders of the person you once loved is the moment you make a promise to yourself to heal. Repeating this mantra is therefore incredibly necessary. Now let's talk about how you can make the most out of this phrase.

Reasons For Deleting Ex's Pictures

Avoiding Mental Breakdowns

Pictures have different meaning for different people. Sometimes they carry fond and beautiful memories that you may want to keep forever. But more often than not, they serve as a sad reminder of what you don't have anymore. If you keep these pictures, you might end up "accidentally" looking at them, and then you'll "accidentally" go down the glorious road of crying sessions, which even the tub of your favorite ice cream won't be able to help you with. Solution to this? Remove the cause of your stress. This is the easiest and simplest way of moving on.

Emotional Healing

Remember how, when we were little, we used to look directly at the sun for no reason whatsoever, knowing all too well that it could damage our eyes? (Self-destructive even then.) Looking at the pictures of your ex is the same intentional torture that you put on yourself. You obsess, you cry, you reminisce, and all of these led you to the same result each time. Sadness. Pure and painful sadness.

Deleting pictures of your ex can be quite therapeutic and symbolize a fresh start for you. It stops you from looking at the sun too long, removing the possibility of some sort of severe damage. Sometimes you need to remove yourself from situations to cope. So, even something as seemingly trivial as throwing that picture in the recycle bin can help you move on.

Closure

The human heart can be a delusional little thing sometimes. It often goes down a path of fantasy, consisting of possible scenarios for the future. It might tell you that one day you will forget the pain you experience every time you look at the "babe<3" file in your gallery.

But the thing about closure and moving on is more about accepting the rawness of emotions that you're capable of. The capacity to love is a beautiful thing, but the capacity to look at yourself in the mirror and say, "You made it out," is up there as well. Deleting those pictures might be the "out" that you need to move on. It might reflect your willingness to accept reality and look back with a bittersweet feeling in your heart.

Reasons For Keeping Ex's Pictures

But a verdict is incomplete without both sides of the story. Let's talk about Reasons for Keeping Ex's Pictures:

Nostalgia

You might want to keep the memories of the good times; that can actually help you move on in your own way. After a while, you'll maybe look at those photos and feel a rush of sweet nostalgia, not pain or heartbreak. It'll give you a reason to associate something (however small) good with the love, however tragic or sad, that you shared with your partner.

Acceptance

Despite popular beliefs, breakups are not always followed by gut-wrenching sobs or 2 AM crying sessions. Sometimes they are also more logical and less emotional. Problems exist so that you can deal with them and find the right solution. Deleting your ex's pictures can be a hasty decision made under the influence of intense emotions that might encourage you to escape or avoid reality instead of accepting it. Keeping those pictures can aid in effectively processing sadness and moving on.

Respect For Relationship

Experiences always teach you something valuable and lead you to a destination. It might not be the one you forecasted in the past, but it's still a grounding place that you reach after experiencing love and heartbreak. No action, decision, or relationship should be regretted by you. Things happen for a reason. Learn to respect the past instead of treating it like a piece of stale cake, and peacefully move on. Keeping pictures of your ex, signifies appreciation for your time together, no matter what the outcome!

Navigate The Decision

Deciding whether to keep or delete an ex's pictures is a deeply personal choice, influenced by individual circumstances and emotional readiness. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and what works for one person may not resonate with another. Love and breakups are confusing like that, and sometimes it may feel like moving on is impossible. But whether you decide to keep them or delete them, is not what's important; it's the knowledge that your heart, however fragile it may seem sometimes, is a lot stronger than what you give it credit for.

Remember, it all comes down to you. You are the one in control, and you decide what's best for you as well! Healing is a gradual process, and self-compassion and love are the keys to moving forward.

To delve into more such blogs, connect with Idyll.

Download Idyll: The Perfect Dating App!