National Get Over It Day

Let’s face it, most people can be found guilty of holding on to many different things from the past that tend to hurt, annoy, confuse or anger them.

What may matter the most is how long people tend to hold onto them, or how equipped they are to let them go.

For some it can be difficult to get rid of negative feelings and, over time, the feelings may grow and turn into a problem as they create bitterness. That’s why it’s time to make life a little lighter and participate in a slightly newer holiday – National Get Over It Day!

This is a day for doing exactly what it says: getting over what is holding people back.

c. 300 BCE
Stoic Philosophy Promotes Emotional Detachment
Greek and later Roman Stoic philosophers such as Zeno and Epictetus teach focusing on what is in one’s control and letting go of destructive passions, laying an early intellectual foundation for “getting over” setbacks.
1895
Freud Begins Talking Cure for Emotional Pain
Sigmund Freud and Josef Breuer publish “Studies on Hysteria,” proposing that talking through traumatic experiences can reduce distress and help patients move beyond past hurts.
1951
Carl Rogers Advances Client-Centered Therapy
Psychologist Carl Rogers publishes “Client-Centered Therapy,” emphasizing empathy, acceptance and self-directed growth as ways people can process pain and move forward in healthier ways.
1969
Kübler-Ross Describes Stages of Grief
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s book “On Death and Dying” outlines stages such as denial, anger and acceptance, shaping modern understanding of how people gradually adjust and “move on” after loss.
1979
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Offers Tools to Reframe Thoughts
Aaron T. Beck’s work on cognitive therapy shows how changing distorted thoughts can change feelings and behavior, giving people practical methods to stop ruminating and recover from setbacks.
1997
Forgiveness Research Links Letting Go to Better Health
Psychologist Everett Worthington and colleagues begin publishing influential studies showing that forgiving others and releasing grudges is associated with lower stress, anxiety and depression.
2011
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Gains Recognition
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is formally recognized by major psychological associations as evidence based, promoting acceptance, mindfulness and value-driven action instead of emotional avoidance.

History of National Get Over It Day

This day was created out of the need that most people have to let go of hurt and pain, especially as it relates to a breakup of a romantic relationship.

Jeff Goldblatt is the one who created this holiday, and it was inspired by a time when he was struggling to get over the hurt from an ex-girlfriend. He knew that he just needed to get over her, but it was super difficult.

With the motivation to help himself, and others he knew who were facing similar struggles, the day began and then took off.

Strategically spaced between a holiday devoted to love (St. Valentine’s Day), and one all about fun and joking around (April Fool’s Day), this is the perfect time to try to find inner healing and move forward with all of the promising things that the future has to offer.

Now, for more than a decade, people have been celebrating National Get Over It Day in a variety of ways that help them to overcome what has been holding them back.

How to Celebrate National Get Over It Day

The list of ways to celebrate National Get Over It Day could be almost endless! It is all about finding the things within that are difficult, and letting them go.

Sounds easy, but for some, it requires a little bit more motivation and support. And this day is all about that.

Whether light-heartedly fun or fairly serious, look into these ways of celebrating this momentous day in an effort to find freedom from the past:

Process Through the Struggles

One method many people have found helpful in trying to “get over it” is to write down all the things that are irritating, annoying or keeping them awake into the wee hours of the morning.

When the list is finished, take some time to contemplate and examine each item on the list and ask if there might be creative ways to change it. Then, try to implement these changes into life by creating new habits and looking for new things to focus on.

If these things absolutely cannot be changed, it’s time to let them go! Some people find it helpful to make a pledge to themselves to not spend any more energy and time on it.

To help even more with the idea of letting items on the list go, the paper can be ripped up and thrown away (or even burned!) to represent the intent to move forward.

Create a ‘Get Over It’ Playlist

Romantic breakups can be especially difficult as they often come with a number of different songs, albums or musicians that are dreadful reminders of “the ex”.

Starting anew means creating a new list of songs that act as reminders of this new season of purpose in life. Throw songs like these onto a Spotify playlist (or an old-fashioned mixtape for the more mature generations!):

Gonna Get Over You (2011) by Sara Bareilles
Get Over It (2002) by OK Go
Tonight I’m Getting Over You (2013) by Carly Rae Jepsen
Get Over It (2009) by Care Bears on Fire
Over You (2007) by Daughtry
Over It (2007) by Katharine McPhee
I’ll Get Over You (King of Wishful Thinking) (1990) by Go West

Re-establish Other Relationships

Another meaningful way that some people might choose to celebrate the day is to reach out to the people they may have withdrawn from during a relationship.

Letting them into the inner world again may be cathartic. Some people may even find that they don’t have time to focus on negative things because they are making new, happier memories.

It’s not always easy to embrace change, but those who really want to let things go will do so with purpose and effort!

Enjoy a “Me” Day

Perhaps the things some people have been holding onto have caused them to be extremely stressed out. A great idea is to use this day to do a bit of pampering and self-care. Head to the spa for a massage! Let the worries just melt away.

Or, a different idea along the same thread, heading back to the gym can get the body (and mind) back on the right track as well.

It is proven that when people work out, their body releases chemicals that lift the mood! How great is that? And for those who are not exactly gym people, even just a nice brisk walk would have a similar effect.

Have a Clear Out

Getting over it sometimes means getting rid of it! If it’s hard to get over a relationship because memories abound, go ahead and chuck that stuff that acts as a reminder. Grab a cardboard box and start sorting with abandon. (It might require the help of a friend to really extract all of the associated items.)

A local charity will certainly be happy to receive that antique cookie jar bought together at the flea market or the blanket the ex crocheted for a birthday gift. It might hurt a bit while it’s happening, but in the end it will be better and provide new freedoms.

The point of the day is that there are choices that each individual can make. So, however this applies to each person’s individual life, they can choose to just Get Over It and start moving forward!

Facts About National Get Over It Day

Forgiveness Can Lower Blood Pressure and Chronic Stress

Clinical studies have found that people who practice forgiveness toward those who hurt them often show lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, and fewer stress-related symptoms.

In one study from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, participants who imagined forgiving an offender had measurably calmer cardiovascular responses than when they dwelled on grudges, suggesting that letting go of resentment can ease the body’s stress load.

Rumination Keeps Emotional Wounds From Healing

Psychologists use the term “rumination” for repetitive, passive thinking about distressing events, such as a breakup or argument.

Research has shown that chronic rumination predicts longer-lasting depression and anxiety after stressful life events, in part because it interferes with problem-solving and emotional recovery, which is why many therapies teach people to interrupt rumination rather than “replay” what went wrong.

Most People Recover From Breakups Faster Than They Expect

Longitudinal breakup studies suggest that while people often predict they will be devastated for a very long time, their actual distress usually declines substantially within a few months.

A study of college students who had recently ended relationships found that many reported meaningful personal growth and stronger self-understanding within 10–12 weeks, highlighting the mind’s natural capacity to adapt and move on.

Writing About Painful Experiences Can Speed Emotional Recovery

Expressive writing, where a person spends 15–20 minutes a day for several days writing honestly about upsetting experiences, has been shown to reduce emotional distress and even lead to fewer doctor visits in the following months.

Psychologist James Pennebaker’s work suggests that putting difficult events into words helps people make sense of them, organize their thoughts, and ultimately let go more easily.

Letting Go Is Easier With Self-Compassion Than With Self-Criticism

Research on self-compassion finds that people who respond to their own mistakes and failures with kindness, rather than harsh self-criticism, are more resilient after setbacks.

In studies led by Kristin Neff and others, self-compassionate individuals were more willing to acknowledge painful emotions, take responsibility, and then move forward, instead of getting stuck in shame or denial.

Physical Activity Helps “Burn Off” Emotional Stress

Exercise does not just strengthen muscles; it also changes brain chemistry in ways that help people cope with emotional strain.

Regular aerobic activity has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, in part by increasing levels of mood-related neurotransmitters and endorphins, which can make it easier to gain distance from past hurts and focus on the present.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Teaches Practical “Move On” Skills

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is built around the idea that changing thought patterns can change feelings and behavior.

CBT techniques such as identifying unhelpful beliefs (“I will never get over this”), challenging them with evidence, and gradually facing avoided situations have been found to be effective for depression, anxiety, and many adjustment problems that keep people stuck in the past.

National Get Over It Day FAQs

Is “just getting over it” the same as emotionally healing from something?

No. Telling someone to “just get over it” often implies suppressing or ignoring feelings, which can prolong distress.

Emotional healing usually involves acknowledging what happened, feeling the emotions safely, making sense of the experience, and then gradually shifting attention back to meaningful parts of life.

Psychology research on coping and post‑traumatic growth shows that processing and integrating experiences is more effective than simply trying to push them away.

Why do some people struggle to let go of past hurts more than others?

People vary in how quickly they “move on” because of personality traits, past experiences, current stress, and even brain chemistry.

Those who tend to ruminate, have high anxiety, limited social support, or a history of trauma may find it harder to release grudges or regrets. Studies on rumination show that repeatedly replaying events in one’s mind is linked with longer and more intense emotional distress.

Is forgiving someone necessary to move on from what they did?

Forgiveness can be helpful but it is not the only path to moving on.

Research on forgiveness suggests that choosing to forgive often reduces anger and stress, yet people can also find peace by setting boundaries, accepting that they may never receive an apology, and focusing on their own future.

In some situations, such as ongoing abuse, safety and distance are more important than forgiveness.

Can holding on to resentment or stress affect physical health?

What evidence‑based techniques help people stop dwelling on the past?

Therapists frequently recommend approaches from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and self‑compassion. CBT helps people identify unhelpful thought patterns, such as “I’ll never be happy again,” and replace them with more realistic ones.

Mindfulness practices train attention to return to the present instead of replaying old events, and self‑compassion reduces harsh self‑criticism about past mistakes.

Clinical guidelines show that these methods can reduce anxiety and depression related to rumination.

Is there a healthy difference between processing emotions and “wallowing”?

Processing emotions typically has a sense of direction: someone reflects on what happened, talks it through, and gradually feels more clarity or relief.

Wallowing tends to involve going over the same details without gaining new insight, often with self‑blame or hopelessness.

Research on emotion regulation suggests that constructive reflection and problem‑solving are linked with better outcomes than repetitive, passive brooding.

When is it better to seek professional help instead of trying to move on alone?

Professional help is recommended if memories or feelings from the past are interfering with daily life, such as ongoing sleep problems, intense mood swings, difficulty working or studying, or strained relationships. It is also important to seek help if someone feels numb, hopeless, or has thoughts of self‑harm.

Mental health organizations advise contacting a licensed therapist, counselor, or doctor when distress is persistent, overwhelming, or feels unmanageable alone.