Starting again after leaving a relationship is among the hardest things you’ll ever do. You have to remember who you were before you married someone who was once the love of your life. You also have to figure out what you’ll do now that you’re alone.
As challenging as it can be, it’s entirely possible. Here are five easy ways to navigate your new beginnings:
1. Cut Ties
After living with someone for several years, cutting ties might feel like one of the hardest things to do. However, it can be an essential first step to starting your new independent life.
Compare removalists so you can move your possessions out of your shared home quickly and start looking for accommodation as soon as possible. Even short-term accommodation with friends or family can be better than sharing a home with your ex-spouse until you find a more permanent form of housing.
Studies support this idea. While marital divorce and separation are already associated with adverse outcomes, studies suggest maintaining contact can result in worse post-divorce outcomes. Feelings of sadness were highest on the days that young adults were in contact with their ex-partners.
2. Let Yourself Grieve
You might not be grieving someone’s death, but you’re grieving the loss of someone who was once very important to you. Give yourself time to feel your emotions. You are suffering a loss all the same.
Cry, get frustrated, be sad, be confused, and be nostalgic. Be upset about what you’ve lost so that you can say you’ve thoroughly grieved. When you’ve given yourself this time to feel all your feelings, you may eventually be in a much better headspace to start moving on.
3. Seek Professional Help
Studies have found that divorced people suffer higher rates of depression, illness, substance abuse, and mortality. The financial, emotional, mental, and physical challenges associated with a divorce can certainly be severe. As a result, reaching out for professional help can often be crucial.
Therapists and counselors have helpful tools and wisdom they can impart to help you navigate this challenging part of your life. They can’t take away the pain and challenges of divorce, but they can be a listening ear and support you as you work through it.
4. Create a New Routine for Yourself
Nothing feels normal when you’re going through a divorce. Your entire daily routine is suddenly changed as you find yourself in a new home without someone you used to spend every day with. Stability and structure can be crucial for creating a sense of normalcy, so start building a new, healthy routine.
This routine might include going to work, spending time on a hobby, cooking a nutritious dinner, and socializing with friends. You might also try doing new things on weekends, like playing a new sport or taking up a hobby you’ve never tried.
5. Practice Self-Care
It’s easy to let your feelings get the better of you after a divorce and start traveling down a destructive path. You might not be sleeping or eating well or making good decisions for yourself. Practicing self-care can be crucial to help you get your life back on track.
Eat nutritious meals and snacks, make time for exercise, and consider spending time in nature – a known nurturer. You may even see the value in meditation for relaxation and reduced anxiety.
Navigating new beginnings post-divorce will rarely be easy. However, it’s a journey worth taking for your future self’s benefit. Seek help, cut ties, and create new, healthy habits. Your new future awaits.