Why do we have a need to cleanse ourselves after a split up???

Why do we all seem to have a need to cleanse ourselves after a split up...

Some like to cleanse by replacing old with new... this might be buying a new house, a new car or just a new set of sheets...

Some like to cleanse by destroying old... this might be buy throwing out all of his/her stuff, cleaning out all of our old stuff or just spring cleaning to the point of obsession...

Some like to cleanse by changing oneself... this might be changing a hairstyle, joining a gym, moving somewhere else or changing jobs.

Some like to cleanse by rationalising decisions that have been made...

It seems that breaking up has stages that must be passed, just like grief. To some extent there is grief. I think that this depends on who broke the relationship off. It does not matter if this was a friendship, a newish relationship or a long-term relationship.

The question that I have is what happens if you plan your own cleansing ritual, but never follow through with it... Does that mean that you did not need it? Does that mean that you are decided that you did not want to be cleansed??

Who knows!!! I guess that it depends on the person involved... I've done all of each of these... Over and over again... Maybe I never learn from my own personal history...

Thanks for the inspiration... You know who you are!!!