Finding a New Balance After a Divorce*
Finding a New Balance After a Divorce*
Divorces are a life-changing experience that leaves behind anger, sadness, and loneliness – even if you know that getting divorces is the right decision for your family. Regardless of how bad your divorce was, with the right tips and help, you can slowly return to fully enjoy your life. Yet, this is not possible without grieving first – after all, you can’t just forget about the many years you spent with your former partner. Don’t be afraid to let out the sadness and frustration you might feel. Here are some tips to help you find a new balance.
Embrace What You Feel
Just in 2019, almost 107,600 couples filed for divorce. While it is a common experience, each divorce is unique and can impact the parties involved in different and traumatic ways. If you have undergone a divorce and you are trying to regain hold of your life, you might be tempted to just dust your feelings under the carpet and pretend that everything is fine. While this could be a suitable solution in the short term, it will not help you process what you are feeling.
Work Towards a Healthy Routine
Mens sana in corpore sano – or “a healthy mind in a healthy body” – is something to keep in mind when you feel like you can’t get away from the stress, anxiety, and depression that the separation caused. To maintain balanced mental health and start working towards your new lifestyle, make sure you have a firm routine in place. Depending on your lifestyle and preferences, this will vary. But some pillars of a healthy life always remain:
- A nutritious, wholesome, and predominantly plant-based diet
- Regular exercise
- Practising sports and joining social events
- Learning new things
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
- Review your medications
- Meditation and mindfulness
- Plenty of sleep and relaxation
Practice Self-Care and Self-Love
Practising self-care is not about vanity, but rather about finding balance and respecting who you are. This is particularly important after a divorce when people can easily feel exposed, misunderstood, and rejected. Spending time looking after yourself and doing what makes you feel good can be an excellent way to regain self-confidence and self-esteem after a breakup. It’s the first step to start dating again!
Embraced Solitude
Divorces too often leave behind sadness and loneliness. These can be traumatic feelings for most people who were used to spending most of their time together. However, there is something that a divorce can also teach you: how to spend time with yourself – and the benefits you can get from it!
Try New Things
Whether your divorce was peaceful or challenging, you now have to build a new life – which is not likely to be exactly like the one you knew. And, because of this, it is important to try new things, spend time with new people, and learn new things. So, you can start building a new, improved life.
Keep the Dialogue Open and Fair
After your divorce, you might not want to see or hear from your former partner. But the reality is that you might have a house, children, or even a business in common. Therefore, you are likely to be in each other’s future. If you need help keeping the conversation and dialogue going, don’t hesitate to find family mediation services and professional support.
* contributed post
6th March 2022
6th June 2023
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