Going through a divorce is one of the most challenging moments in any adult’s life. Regardless of the reasons for the divorce, you’ll find there are ups and downs during this new season of your life. Keep reading as we share our top ten tips for surviving a divorce.
1. Give Yourself Time
Healing doesn’t happen overnight. No matter where you are in the divorce proceedings, take the time to grieve for your past. Remind yourself that your feelings are valid, they are also temporary. You will feel differently and/or better in time. By denying or not allowing yourself to feel, you will only prolong the time it takes to move on.
2. Create a Strong Support System
If you are lucky enough to have friends and family that support you, make sure you don’t push them away during this difficult time in your life. If it is not possible to lean on your friends and/or family, schedule an initial consult with a divorce coach. They will be there to support you however you need it, so don’t be afraid to reach out to someone if you are struggling. Everyone needs a little help every now and again.
3. Keep Up a Daily Routine
It can be so easy to fall out of good routines and into bad habits when you are going through a divorce. Try your best to maintain a basic routine each day that not only gets you out of bed and through your working day but something that makes you feel a little better each day. Watch that movie you have been wanting to see, take a walk in the sunshine, take a bubble bath, no matter how big or how small do something kind for yourself each day.
4. Exercise Regularly
Exercise offers so many positive mental and physical health benefits. Even just getting in a short walk each day will help clear your mind and make you feel more confident in yourself.
5. Connect With Other Divorced Men or Women
You aren’t alone on this journey when you are going through a divorce. Try to connect with friends or others in your local area who might be going through the same thing.
6. Look After Your Kids
Divorce isn’t just hard for the couple involved and can have a huge impact on the rest of the family. Look after your kids and enjoy spending as much time as possible together to show them you’ll always be there for them.
7. Reconnect to Past Interests
When we spend so much time with another person, we often stop enjoying some of our favourite activities of the past. Take the time to remember what you used to enjoy doing before your marriage. Or, if you can’t remember, try new things or things that you have always wanted to do.
8. Reduce Contact with Your Ex-Partner
The unknown can be scary and uncomfortable. Sometimes we can be tempted to run back to our ex just to avoid these feelings, even though deep down we know divorce is the right decision. If you are tempted to run back to your ex, reducing contact is usually the best way forward. While this can be hard if you have kids together, try to get some distance for the time being and try to sit with the discomfort. It too will pass.
9. Focus on What You Can Control
We can’t control everything that happens to us in our lives. Focus on the daily tasks that you have full control over to stop yourself from feeling too overwhelmed at this time.
10. Remember That Things Will Get Better
No matter where you are in your divorce journey, things will get better. Take life one day at a time and try to remind yourself the feelings are temporary. Try not to make permanent decisions based on temporary emotions. Lastly, again, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
By following these ten tips, you’ll find that day by day you start to feel better during this difficult time. There’s no need to rush the process of healing from your divorce and everyone’s timeline is different. In time, you’ll find that you start to smile and laugh more each day as you move into this new chapter of your life, the chapter that can create and make whatever you want it to be!
