So life hit me with yet another new breakup challenge iv'e never yet experienced...

To make a long story short, I came home from a trip to find that my girlfriend of 4 years completely moved out of our apartment. Not a single one of her belongings remain. We lived in this apartment together for about a year and a half, we were splitting the rent and it was our second apartment together.

I know I'm going to have to deal with the sadness of the breakup one way or another and that memories can often be painful. My question is whether keeping the apartment will significantly change and/or prolong the healing process or if its not much different considering id redecorate and rearrange the place?

Normally it wouldn't be such a big deal but this apartment happens to be a jem and also super practical for my work which is right around the corner. Any opinions? Thanks

From what I read, you are more concerned with the apartment than the loss of your girlfriend. If you can afford the apartment why not stay. I realize you made it a short story, and that is your choice, you can always get another girl friend but good apartments are hard to find sometimes.

Is the breakup that big of a shock? You had to have seen warning signs.

“significantly change and/or prolong the healing process…” That is totally up to you and what you allow to have happen. You can’t control how she felt or how she decided to tell (or show as it were) you that you two were no longer together. What you do control is how you react to it. This is just my opinion but too many people who go through this convince themselves they aren’t allowed to have fun now or call friends to hang out or go get some exercise when in fact you control those things. Yeah breakups suck, but dust yourself off and start planning your next chapter. In a few months you might decide this was the best thing for you.

Enjoy your gem of a living space without her. Who wants to heal from losing the girl AND a great living space?

Just saying.