Divorces are traumatic experiences, even if you want the divorce to happen. You need to ensure that you are taking care of yourself emotionally as you walk through the process. Not only can this reduce the stress you feel, it can also help you to have the skills and the emotional strength to rebuild your life.
There are many triggers that you might face that are unexpected. Being prepared for these situations can help you as you go through them. If the feelings are too intense, you may need to get help from a professional in the mental health field.
Ups and downs
You will experience ups and downs as you go through the divorce and throughout at least the first year. Some of the downs will come as a total shock. Something as simple as seeing a certain picture or smelling a specific smell might be all it takes to set it off. Having a plan ahead of time to address these is beneficial.
Examples of emotions
You might feel very strong emotions that range from anger to elation. The intense anger can make you feel like you are fearful or vulnerable, and you may want to react to stimuli in an intensely negative manner. These harsh reactions have the possibility of creating bad circumstances for you that could have been avoided. Learn how to turn the anger into positive action. You can change your life by using your anger for good.
With such a big change, you might feel frightened about the future. This can lead to feelings of despair and even hopelessness. Instead of falling into a depression, you can work toward slowly building the life you want to live.
One big shocker for some people is that they feel a sense of loss. You might mourn the end of the marriage, but not necessarily because you miss your ex. You may miss the fact that you have someone to share life’s experiences with who will always be there with you. You could be upset about the time you feel was wasted on the marriage.
Ultimately, you can only control what you do. Don’t let your ex dictate what happens because you need to move forward with life. You can’t let the past dictate your future, so decide that you are going to do what it takes to make the best things happen.