Lupita Nyong'o Thanks Fans for 'the Kindness I Have Received' After Her Split from Selema Masekela

"The words of encouragement mean more to me than I anticipated," the actress said

Lupita Nyong'o is thanking her fans for their support amid her breakup.

The actress, 40, shared a series of posts on her Instagram Story Saturday in which she expressed her appreciation to those who reached out to her after she revealed earlier in the week that she and ex-boyfriend Selema Masekela decided to go their separate ways.

"Thank you for all the kindness I have received from sharing my heartbreak news," Nyong'o began. "The words of encouragement mean more to me than I anticipated. They are a balm."

"And it feels comforting to have a little corner online for the romantically heartbroken to gather," the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star continued.

Then noting that her followers "shared resources that have helped you move through the pain" — including "songs, poems, books, quotes" — Nyong'o asked them to "continue to do so," as she revealed some quotes that resonated with her, including one from Ava DuVernay.

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Related: Lupita Nyong'o Announces Breakup from Selema Masekela in Message About 'Pain' of Recent 'Deception'

Nyong'o announced her split from Masekela, a TV host and sports commentator, on social media earlier this week.

In a lengthy note, the Oscar winner began by acknowledging that "there are much more important things going on in the world right now, and my thoughts are with those who are deeply suffering," before she said, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust."

Nyong'o then noted that she found herself "in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception."

She continued her statement, noting that she felt the urge to "run into the shadows and hide" amid the heartbreak, but said, "I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love. And so, I am choosing to face the pain, cultivating the courage to meet my life exactly as it is, and trusting that this too shall pass."

Nyong'o then wrote that she shared the personal news "to keep it 💯, and hoping that the knowledge of my experience might be useful to someone else out there experiencing the grip of heartbreak who is poised to try and escape from the pain and miss out on the wisdom that comes from it. #Breakup."

"Let’s face our pain so we don’t spread it," concluded the message, in which Nyong'o never referenced Masekela by name.

Related: Joshua Jackson and Lupita Nyong'o Spotted at Janelle Monae Concert After Respective Splits

Nyong'o and Masekela publicly confirmed their relationship through a December 2022 Instagram post, though it's unclear when their relationship began.

Back in August, Nyong'o celebrated Masekela's birthday, calling him a "Sunshine Human ☀️" on social media. At the time, Masekela responded in the comments section, calling himself the "luckiest man alive."

Nyong'o's split announcement came a day after she was seen attending a Janelle Monáe concert with friends and Joshua Jackson, whose wife Jodie Turner-Smith recently filed for divorce.

Photos previously posted by TMZ showed the pair standing close to each other in the audience, though they didn’t appear to be cozying up with one another.

A representative for Masekela did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's prior request for comment, nor did one for Nyong'o.

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