Life After Divorce: Tips for Women Facing the Unknown

Divorce is challenging. You either knew there were issues and decided it was time to move on, or you didn’t see it coming. Either way, once the divorce comes, you’re left alone with a vast, unknown space in front of you.

You have major life decisions to make, home repairs to do, financial matters to handle, and family matters to tend to. The experience can be overwhelming. Here are some tips to help navigate the journey.

Allow Yourself to Feel

After you go through a divorce, there’s going to be a plethora of emotions. You’ll feel sadness, anger, fear, resentment, guilt, and grief. You may find yourself feeling some sense of relief or even happiness. When everything is all said and done, you might experience loneliness.

You might feel one of them, but most likely, you’ll feel all of them. Give yourself permission to do so. Let each one come, and allow yourself time to process. Ride the emotional roller coaster until the end.

You may have had some deeply repressed feelings that now are surfacing. Expect to go through the cycle as you move along this new chapter. 

Avoid Desperate Reconciliation

When you separate from a long-term partner, you might feel the urge to hang on to that relationship. You may find yourself in a pattern of wanting to reconcile out of desperation.

Divorce feels final because in theory, it is. Many people give themselves multiple chances to try again after time has passed. Whether it’s financial reasons, feelings of loneliness, or fear of the unknown future, there are plenty of tempting drivers.

Certain supports or services can help you through each of these issues to continue moving forward in a healthy manner.

Don’t Rush Anything New

Coming off of a divorce, many people rush into new things. It’s that fear of the unknown and/or loneliness. You feel like you’re never going to find love again.

You need time to heal from the end of the relationship, especially one that comes with deep roots and children. Go through your emotions and grief process first. Reflect on the relationship. What worked well, and what failed?

You’ve undergone a significant change. Now it’s time to rediscover yourself and re-evaluate your wants and needs in a relationship.

Explore This New Chapter

Your attitude in this new chapter will dictate how easy or challenging it is. It can be difficult to start putting yourself out there or exploring new things alone, but the energy you give is what you will receive.

Say yes to new adventures. Take up new hobbies, plan to try new activities, and form new connections. Try to meet new people that you wouldn’t generally interact with. Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone if an exciting opportunity presents itself.

Eat at a restaurant on your own, join a book club, attend a weekly fitness class, and venture out to new places. By finding new, joyful experiences with others, you can open up different parts of yourself and expand your network.

Look to Other Women

It’s important to remember that you don’t have to do this alone. In one way or another, there’s a large support system out there for you. You just need to find it.

Lean into your friends and family during this time. Spend quality time with your loved ones. Your loved ones will love you regardless, unconditionally, so keep them close.

Create new relationships via those classes or expanded social circles. Join a support group where other women are going through a shared experience. People transforming their lives can be inspiring and essential during this unknown time.

Have you recently gone through a divorce? Are you still in the process of gaining your footing? Reach out to us for guidance during this process

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