When people think of divorce, it is typically the negatives that first come to mind: the loss of a once-happy relationship, anxieties over the future, legal and financial struggles. What often gets lost in the conversation is the positives that can arise from divorce. When you finally cross the finish line into your post-divorce future, here are three things we hope you can look forward to.
Getting closer with your kids
When a marriage is struggling, constant tension between spouses can drain energy away from parenting and, in some cases, cause children to withdraw. When it’s just you and your children, you may find you have more time and energy to concentrate on their needs and to continue to build a healthy parent-child relationship. By establishing a fair and healthy custody arrangement, you can work toward a situation in which your children are getting the best of both parents, albeit separately.
New relationships
It’s understandable if the end of your marriage has you wary of romantic relationships, but with time you may feel like “getting out there” again. When dating after divorce, you may find yourself wiser and better equipped to spot the red flags that led to the dissolution of your marriage.
Finding yourself
One of the most difficult emotional aspects of divorce is letting go of the identity you inhabited as one half of a couple and finding and embracing your new, independent self. This is also one of the great opportunities of post-divorce life: authoring the next chapter of your life free from an entanglement that was possibly holding you back. Whether exploring a new career, new hobbies, travel or new connections, once you are done processing the pain of divorce, you may find that a whole world of new possibilities has opened up to you.