Starting the New Year After a Divorce

Going through a divorce at any time of the year is emotionally and financially challenging. Disruptions in your normal routines, changes in family traditions, and awkward exchanges with loved ones can easily leave you feeling discouraged. The good news is that a new year allows you to make some fresh resolutions for your life going forward. The following are tips on how to put the emotional fallout of your divorce behind you, along with steps to help regain your financial footing.

Dealing With Feelings of Loss after Your Divorce

Even when a divorce is something you initiated, it is common to feel a sense of loss and sadness. This can be even more intense over the holidays, when seasonal depression is more common. Help Guide advises the following:

Accept your feelings, while realizing they will pass. It is common to feel angry, sad, or depressed after a divorce. Realize that you are not alone, and that painful feelings get better with time.
Go easy on yourself, and lower your expectations. Rather than making demands on yourself to attend every holiday gathering or to go all out baking or decorating your home, take the pressure off. Take naps, watch old movies, and do whatever feels comfortable. Let go of the need to live up to idealized notions of what the holiday should be, and focus instead on things that make you feel good.
Reach out to others for support. Whether you get counseling, attend a support group, or simply confide in friends, not isolating yourself and letting others know what you are going through can provide a sense of relief.

While you want to allow yourself time to grieve, keep in mind that moving on is your eventual goal. The new year is the perfect time for making some positive resolutions.

Resolutions to Recover Financially from Divorce

It is common for your finances to take a hit during a divorce, but recovering financially is possible and can often be accomplished in less time than you think. A Time/Money report recommends the following steps to help you get back on track:

Set financial goals. Know what you want to accomplish financially in the year ahead.
Start saving. Regardless of what you make, put a portion of it aside for short term and retirement savings.
Invest in yourself. Make plans to continue your education or to improve your marketable skills, and polish up your resume.
Build your credit. Rebuild your credit by watching your spending, paying bills on time, and staying within 30 percent of your credit limit.

We can Help You Today

Going through a divorce can leave you feeling shaken and vulnerable, and it is important to have someone you can trust acting as a strong legal advocate on your behalf. Contact attorney Vanessa L. Prieto to get the professional legal representation to ensure you are protected in divorce proceedings.

Resource:

helpguide.org/articles/grief/dealing-with-a-breakup-or-divorce.htm