5 Ways to Stay Sane After a Divorce

One of the hardest things to ever endure in life is divorce. No matter their duration or severity, they can take their toll on both parties involved, as well as their friends and family. It’s important not to get stuck in the past but to move forward and keep an optimistic perspective on what the future holds for you. Below are five tips to help maintain a positive attitude and stay sane after a divorce:

1. Evaluate: Your divorce is over, and you’re ready to move forward. It’s a good idea to evaluate yourself and what has happened to move your life in the right direction. What was missing from your life during your previous relationship? What are your core values? What led to the divorce? What have you learned from your previous relationship and divorce? What do you want your future to be? Where do you want it to go? Evaluating and answering questions such as these and more are a great way to determine what got you into the position you’re in and what you’ll need to do to get where you want to be.

2. Create a Support Network: One of the best ways to deal with a divorce is to create a support network. These are the people who will be there for you, whether it is emotional support or just to help you get your mind off the past. The size of your network isn’t important, just that you have folks you can count on to be there for you no matter what. Your support network should include individuals with a positive attitude who can make you laugh, share your hobbies, and help motivate you to be the best that you can be. Also, step outside your current network and add new people who weren’t around for the divorce. They will offer a fresh perspective and support from your long-time network. All in all, you are the company you keep, so why not surround yourself with people who love you and want the best for you?

3. Be Smart Online: More and more, we are using social networking sites to stay connected to our friends and meet new ones. Some say getting off social networks is a good idea to stay sane after a divorce, but you don’t need to be that drastic. Remove toxic people from your networks or hide people’s feeds from your view that can bring up negative feelings about your past. In divorce, sometimes you’ll share friendships with that of your spouse, so there will inevitably be occasions for them to show up, so for the time being, hide these people from your feeds. Also, don’t go blasting your private information regarding your divorce or emotional status. Keep those matters private and offline. Use your social networks to connect with your peers, strengthen your friendships and treat them as a platform to be social in positive ways. In a sense, use it as your social support network, as mentioned above.

4. Pick a Hobby:  After a divorce, it’s not hard to get wrapped up in your thoughts and running circles inside your head. One way to help keep your mind off all these what-ifs and the past is to pick up a new hobby. Was there something you always wanted to do before, but your marriage kept you too busy, or was your spouse not supportive? Is there something you’ve always wanted to try but were always afraid? Well, there’s no time like the present, and you shouldn’t live a life of regrets, so why not go for it! By picking up a new hobby, you’re occupying your time with something much more productive than idle hands, and it helps give your life more purpose.

5. Exercise: One of the most common feelings after a divorce is that of physical imperfection. Many will beat themselves up and blame divorce on some sort of physical imperfection. Regardless of whether your physicality was any part of the blame in your divorce, it’s a good idea to pick up exercise after a divorce. Beyond the benefits of exercise on your physical health, movement causes your brain to release numerous chemicals that work together to make your feel good. By exercising, you’ll elevate your mood and gain a sense of accomplishment. Any type of cardio or yoga will help you feel awesome as you move forward!

In the end, divorce is a highly challenging time in life, but there are plenty of things you can do to help improve your life and make it a happy and successful one.

Ben Stevens has provided exceptional legal counsel and support to families throughout South Carolina for over twenty-five years, handling all matters of family law, such as child custody, child support, and divorce. He has handled hundreds of cases involving adultery, and when necessary, he provides his clients with the necessary referrals and expert collaboration to support their cases. Our firm is well-equipped to handle all divorce and family law matters, no matter your circumstances. Contact our office at (864) 598-9172 or SCFamilyLaw@offitkurman.com to schedule an initial consultation.