How to Heal a Broken Heart in 30 Days: A Day-by-Day Guide to Saying Good-bye and Getting On With Your Life Paperback – January 22, 2002

First I never thought I'd buy a book like this, and second, I never thought I'd write a review. I've read 2/3 of the book, but that is enough to tell me this book is a gift to my soul.Every single page is full of love, compassion and realistic advice. Thank you for skipping the platitudes and triteness and for getting to the heart of the matter. (no pun intended) The end of a relationship hurts whether you end it, she ends it or you mutually agree to end it. It hurts whether you are at fault or she is at fault or you both are at fault. It just hurts and this book teaches first that you must give up your pride and admit that it hurts. The pain can vary, but for me I found out something I didn't even know was there.The relationship I thought I was hurting over was not the one causing me the most pain. It was the one before. I was married for 17 years and ended up divorced. I remarried my college girlfriend who I thought was the love of my life. That marriage lasted (legally) 2 years and 9 months. After that I dated around some and then fell for a woman who I thought was the opposite of every woman I had ever fallen for - but that turned out not to be true... she was the same in many ways.When I ended that relationship (I ended it, and I was mean when I did it, but there was no other way to make sure the door was shut tight.) I mourned her for weeks. Then I realized that I was in mourning and lonely for weeks before I actually ended the relationship. When I read this book and really looked at myself I realized that I was mourning this relationship AND my second marriage. A double whammy.This book has helped me uncover some ugly truths about myself and the patterns I keep repeating. There comes a time when grief is over and you move on, but if you move on too fast you don't learn and grow. If you linger too long you get stuck. This book's prescription is just right. Treat yourself well, be kind to yourself, understand and let yourself feel and then let yourself heal.I am learning to let go of what my heart keeps saying what was, and what might have been, but probably never really was or would have been, both with the second wife and the rebound girlfriend. Now I am beginning to see that it IS POSSIBLE that the next time can be better.Thank you Howard and Mike.

I thought this would be an easy read. Boy, was I wrong. Well, it *was* easy to read because it is very clearly written, and very direct and focused. It took me longer than expected to read because the SUBSTANCE of the book is so compelling. The chapters and exercises really hit home and provoke a lot of contemplation and action. I have already ordered a copy for a friend and highly recommend this book to anyone who has either recently lost a love relationship, or who hasn't really recovered from the hurts of one or more past relationships, recent or not so recent. This book basically says, YOU are in charge. YOU do the work. YOU need to recognize where you are and what you CAN do about it. This book does not permit you to wallow unnecessarily in the stages of grief but instead encourages you to recognize what IS and what ISN'T and to CHOOSE to deal with your situation constructively and actively. Spot-on!

I think this book espouses great, healthy advice in general and will put anyone with a devastated, broken heart on the track to full recovery, but after reading this book and others like it (although I do like that this one is shorter and more practical) I think they all take advantage of the broken-hearted person's desire to get it over with sooner than is humanly possible. These practices take time as much as they take determination, and I don't believe 30 days is realistic for anyone to overcome a broken heart (unless the heartbreak wasn't all that significant to begin with). The authors do make the point in their introduction that 30 Days might not be the magic number for everyone. Surely, though, after reading this book a person will find some relief within 30 days and have good reason to believe the despair will eventually be lifted altogether.

If you just got out of a relationship this is the book for you. Doesn't matter how bad you think it hurts at the moment, you should buy it. This book gives you a tip for the day and helps you move on with your life in 30 days. Does it hurt after 30 days?Sure you miss the person, but that's going to happen regardless. What this book does is, it puts your mind in a place where you can learn from everything that happened as well as you will lose the anger towards your friend that you just lost (ex boy/girl friend).Break ups can be and usually are ruff; they normally sting a bit. If you can get through the first 30 days though and come out in a place where your mind is not in such a dark place, you've done the hardest part. The hardest part is being a lone for a bit.So consider it, especially if you don't have tons of family or friends around. This book may just be the companion you need for 30 days. After 30 days you'll have a clear mind hopefully and be able to start putting one foot in front of the other.I've read that some girls don't like it. I'm a guy, so I know that our way of thinking can be different. To me it helped. I'm not sure how it helps with women, but if nothing else it will keep you busy and busy is good.

Well, my broken heart is far from healed but there are some great tips in here. I'm not sure they are revolutionary as I have read them in other places where the book itself provided far better overall guidance. I wouldn't say I'd buy it again, but if it does fall in your lap it is worth the read.

Clear , pragmatic, simple advice to heal a broken relationship. Good day to day examples to train your mind and spirit to cope with the pain of a breakup. It reiterates the futility to hang on to the pain and to the other that is already gone and not coming back. Actually were you in love or had an illusion of love with a person that never loved you? Why waste your time on a person who is gone and not coming back?Great book. I recommend it!