Stoicism has been used by people going through highly stressful situations like being a prisoner of war.
One of the most powerful stoic principles that comes in very handy during stressful times is to focus on what you can control and take focus off of what you cannot control. In other words, if you have no power over the situation, take the focus off of it since it is a waste of your time and energy and put your focus on what you have the power to control because that is worth your time and energy.
If you think about it, it is a smart way to live. In addition, if you were to put your focus on all the things that you have the power to control, you might easily create a very successful life in every way.
A stoic would take a look at the various aspects of a particular heartbreak and do their best to let go of things that they have no power to control and then focus on what they do have the power to control.
Do you have control over your ex wanting you back? No! Do you have control over your ex finding someone new? No. Do you have control over taking back a mistake you made? No! Do you have control over someone else’s mind? No!
Do you have control over doing self work to heal yourself? Yes! Do you have control over what kind of a person you want to be? Yes! Do you have control over learning something new that could enhance your life, career, joy, happiness, fulfillment and success? Yes! Do you have control over taking loving, kind and compassionate care of yourself? Yes! Do you have control over getting your body and mind into healthy shape? Yes! And so much more!
A stoic would tell you to focus your whole self on the second set of questions, but not the first. The first set is a complete waste of your time and it takes you nowhere but horrible. And simple waste of time itself is terrible because you can never get wasted time back.
If you are going through a heartbreak, what set of questions would you choose to focus on so that by the end of your healing period, you could come out of it empowered and full of life?