When someone decides to file for divorce or perhaps they have the papers filed against them, there is a temptation to think of it as a big setback. A “never be the same” moment where it’s “all downhill from here.” These thoughts couldn’t be further from the truth. Divorce can actually be a great learning experience, provided that you’re open to learning these 5 things about yourself.
1. That you can still be a good role model.
Filing divorce papers or having them filed against you does not automatically mean that you’re a bad person. Any more, divorce is more the result of incompatibility or the uncontrollable actions of another instead of character. Don’t automatically think that you can’t be the best friend or family member or parent just because your marriage is over. As you’re about to see, you can be much better than “good.”
2. That you can endure more.
Life is filled with ups and downs, and you have to be prepared for all of them. As you go into survival mode for a time after the divorce forms are final, you might think life will never get any better. But once you come out of your funk, you’ll see that you’re more capable of dealing with tough life situations than you were before. It really does help you to reset your expectations and find the strength to carry on and to be strong for others.
3. That some of your best living can be done alone.
While studies have shown in the past that married people or people who live with at least one other person tend to live longer, being single can result in a lot of positives. For one, it gives you the alone time needed to really self-analyze and see what you’re doing right, what you’re doing wrong, and what changes you could make to improve your life. It also helps you more quickly recharge those batteries at the end of a long day.
4. That you’re a lot more self-reliant than you think.
Money saving, laundry, cooking dinner — if there are things you’ve never done before your divorce, this is the time where you will get to learn them and become more self-reliant, which will make you a stronger and more well-rounded person.
5. That your life is only just beginning.
Once the divorce is over, you are no longer a married person. You are in charge of what comes next, to a greater extent anyway, and that means you can start planning the life that YOU want instead of the one that you were living with someone else.
Are you divorced? Are you getting there? What were some challenges that you faced, or are facing, and how do you plan to overcome them?