Pros –
- You’re 14lbs down despite zero trips to the gym and having consumed approx 19853 hot chocolates in the last 24 hours. Apparently stress is the most effective weight loss aid…
- You form an unbreakable bond with the thirty-something on the fourth floor, who has gone through more heartbreaks than you’ve had hot dinners. Each morning in the lift you get the arm around you along with the ‘I’ve been there, it’s good to see you smiling’ talk, followed by the slightly more straight to the point – ‘they’re all unreliable - come out and get bladdered with us Friday night, it’ll make you feel better’. In fairness - it’s true and it did.
- You get to re-evaluate – that swish city center apartment you’d been contemplating pre- pairing has reared it’s head again and seems more appealing than ever at this point. As does the option of living the ‘Carrie Bradshaw’ lifestyle – wondering whether Big will ever make his long awaited return whilst simultaneously spending every evening sipping drinks with the girls/trying out the city’s latest keep fit craze/writing the next big blog post set to go viral.
- You realize you might want said person in your life, but that you don’t need them. There are plenty of others willing to accompany you on that jaunt you’d been planning and more often than not they’re a lot more enthusiastic about it! Just like when any negative situation hits, you get to realize who your true friends are – who you can rely on. You recognize what you had taken for granted before and how you should start making the effort to ensure you don’t fall into the trap of doing this again.
- Each time you spot a new ‘burger joint’ having popped up in town/each time a cute feline friend appears in the form of a gif on your Facebook feed/every time that Taylor Swift song comes on the radio - you know full well that whoever you tell about it, the joy/need to sing along felt by both of you won’t be quite the same as that you shared with your former love.
- Despite constant nattering with friends throughout the day, the permanent lack of that goodnight/early morning text message hits you each morning like a tonne of bricks followed by that empty feeling you spend most of your time trying so hard to avoid.
- Cuddles/hugs/snuggles – whatever you want to call them – they are few and far between. And they certainly don’t exist in the same form as they once did. I’m talking late night, post several pints and a bag of chips, ‘I’m going to spoon you so hard’ type squeezes. You can pretend you’re not bothered about them, but deep down you’re just dying to be held tight.
- Christmas/the festive period in general, just plain sucks. No matter how enthused you normally get over mulled wine, mince pies and carols, it just ain’t happenin’ this year. In fact, if being able to hibernate throughout the entire month of December was an option, you’d be right there with your nest at the front of the queue ready to sign up.
