Divorce is a difficult process that can be emotionally and financially draining. It’s no surprise then that it can take people months, even years to adjust to the changes made in their lives. To help you better understand what you may be going through, I have broken down the 5 stages of divorce so you know what to expect along your journey. From recognizing when it’s time to move on, to find ways to cope with your new reality, this blog post will provide insight into each stage of divorce and how best to manage them.
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What to expect from your divorce
Divorce is more than meeting with a lawyer, signing some papers, and a judge banging his gavel and declaring you divorced. Divorce starts before the first meeting with a lawyer and goes beyond the judge granting you a divorcee. Through my experience, I learned important information that I now share with you so that you can be prepared to face the 5 stages of divorce.
Don’t be a woman who gets into the middle of a divorce without knowing:
- How you got there
- How you will get through
- What all to expect
Understanding The 5 Stages of Divorce
This article will discuss each stage in detail, providing practical tips and advice on how to cope with the challenges of each one. It will also provide guidance on what to do when you reach the final stage of The Aftermath.
1 – Acceptance
No matter whose decision the divorce is or if it is mutual, you will need to accept that it is happening. A divorce can be draining, so do not waste energy on the “what ifs”, “whys”, begging, and things you can not control. Use your energy on things you can control, such as the next step you will need to take. If you are the one that has chosen the divorce, there may be times you second guess yourself. Of course, that is normal.
2 – Inform Yourself
I always suggest that you inform yourself as early as possible, but sometimes circumstances won’t give you time to inform yourself. The more informed you are, the better prepared you are, and the better prepared you are the less afraid you will feel. Inform yourself of budgets, money, protecting yourself, what to ask for, what professionals to hire, who to talk to, custody, papers to prepare for your lawyer…
3 – Divorce Process
Each divorce is unique, however, it is almost certain that your divorce will not go as quickly as you would hope or expect. You will have meetings with your lawyer, division of property, custody agreements, divorce hearings (maybe even multiple). Because of the emotions, in this stage of divorce, it is important to inform yourself because you need to know what you want. If you don’t know what you want, it is likely you won’t get it. This is the time to leave your emotions at home and treat your divorce like a business transaction.
4 – Healing
Grieving, forgiveness, therapy, self-discovery, decluttering, staying active, healthy mind. Those are just a few of the steps to your healing. This stage of divorce is so important for you to walk through before you even think about getting into a new relationship. Without healing, you run a high risk of repeating the same mistakes.
5 – The Final Stage of Divorce: The Aftermath
The aftermath is different for everyone. Remember that no matter how much you try to keep your life the same, things will change. A few changes you could experience are loss of friends, shame, financial struggle, change in living arrangements, anxiety, depression, guilt, missing your kids, changes at holidays, dating, trust, and low self-esteem.
Prepare To Face The Stages Of Divorce
Most women don’t know what they don’t know about divorce. Divorce is not something you planned for when you got married. I created my FREE On-Demand Video to support you. I wanted to share everything I learned from my divorce. You are likely unaware of the 5 stages of divorce – as a result of my experience, I share things I wish someone had told me, and what I have learned since my divorce from talking to other professionals.
