Although there are important divorce legal issues that you’ll need to pay attention to in order to protect your financial well-being, you also have to take care of yourself during the marriage dissolution process.
If you don’t, then you might find yourself lackadaisical throughout the discussions of property division, alimony, and child custody disputes, which could allow your spouse to take advantage of you, thereby leaving you in an unfavorable position post-divorce. Not engaging in self-care can also start you off on the wrong foot from a mental health perspective once your divorce is finalized.
But there are steps that you can take to ease the emotional toll taken on you by divorce. Let’s take a closer look.
How you can lessen the emotional and mental impact of divorce
There’s no one right approach here. Everyone is different, just as each divorce is unique. Therefore, as you look at the suggestions below, be sure to note those that might be especially helpful to you in your set of circumstances.
- Take a break: With work and caring for your children, life was hectic enough before divorce entered the picture. The desire to utilize your time to the maximum extent is understandable but be sure to give yourself some time to relax, recuperate, and focus on the things that truly matter to you. It’s okay to operate at less than 100% during your divorce.
- Find support: You shouldn’t have to go through your divorce alone, and you don’t have to. You can turn to family members and friends, support groups, and mental health professionals to help you get through this trying time. Having this support
- Be kind to yourself: Avoid negative self-talk, regardless of the situation, and find ways to support your physical and mental health. Eating a balanced diet, avoiding drug and alcohol use, exercising, practicing mindfulness, meditating, and going for walks can all support your overall health, leaving you feeling strong enough to tackle what’s ahead of you.
- Minimize conflict: The conflict associated with divorce is usually what stresses people out. While you might not be able to avoid conflict altogether in your divorce, there are ways to minimize it. For example, reducing communications to writing and avoiding face-to-face contact as much as possible can stem the back-and-forth that oftentimes devolves into heated disagreements.
- Refocus on your interests: You might’ve put some of your most beloved hobbies and interests on the shelf during your marriage, but now is the time to take them up again. Alternatively, you can take on new hobbies. Either way, giving yourself something positive and enjoyable to focus on can give you renewed energy and a greater sense of purpose when other aspects of your life don’t seem to make sense.
- Talk to your children: A lot of people who go through divorce also worry about how marriage dissolution is going to impact their children. You might be able to make the process easier for them by talking about it. Allow them to feel their emotions, keep open lines of communication, and be willing to listen to them and answer their questions.
Don’t be afraid heading into your divorce
It’s natural to feel uneasy heading into divorce. But you shouldn’t be so afraid of the process that you seek to get it over with as quickly as possible. Instead, take the time needed to develop a strong divorce strategy that sets you on the path to the future you deserve.