A New Start

Divorce is a life-altering process. It involves court dates, dividing assets, negotiating child custody, and a roller coaster of emotions. A divorce can leave you hurt, confused, and emotionally worn out. After a divorce, it may seem like your life is over, however; that is not the case. There is life after divorce. Here are some tips on how to get things back on track after dealing with a divorce: Give Yourself Time to Heal Allow yourself time to grieve the loss of your relationship. Accept that it’s over and take a step back and consider what you learned from the situation. A failed relationship, although difficult, can teach us a lot about what we want in future relationships. Let go of feelings of regret. Write in a journal to keep track of your emotions. Spend Time with Loved Ones Surround yourself with friends and family. Talk to a therapist if you’re feeling down. While you may not want to bring up painful memories from your past, sharing your thoughts with people who care about you is a great way to gain new perspective and to move past difficult periods in your life. Stay open and honest with your friends and family. Keep them in the loop. Update them on how you’re doing. Accept their support and advice. Break Out of Your Rut As hard as it may be, get yourself out of bed and make some plans for the day. Get to the gym. Being active for a half hour each day is clinically proven to help fight anxiety, depression, and stress. Sign up for classes or get involved in new hobbies that you’ve always wanted to. Accept social invitations and meet new friends. Hanging out with new groups of people will open new doors for you and will help to pull you out of your rut. Volunteer in Your Community One of the best ways to give yourself a mental break from your problems is to spend some time helping others. Volunteering is a great way to make a difference in someone else’s life, meet new friends, and feel good about yourself. Volunteering has been proven to increase your self confidence, combat depression, and make you feel like you are a part of your local community. When it’s Time to Get Back Out There After you feel that you have fully moved on, you can begin easing back into the dating world. Make sure that you feel ready yourself and that you are not accepting dates as a result of your friends pressuring you into getting back into the scene. At first, it may be hard to open up to strangers, but make a point of giving people a chance. According to marriage and family therapist, Lisa Paz, Ph.D, if dating feels good, it’s not too soon. If you feel like you’re forcing it, then you may need some more time to heal before trying again. When you’re ready to date, a great way to get back into the singles scene is to give Catholic Singles.com.  The service gives you access to over 700 million dating profiles and is a great way for busy people to meet eligible singles. Once you register on the site, you’ll be asked to take a quick quiz, which only consists of questions capability and of Faith.  You will then upload a photo and create a profile. Catholic Singles will then pair you with prospective matches and will show you a list of potential partners. You will see their photos, basic description, and the number of quiz questions that you both had in common. You will then be able to chat with these people to see if you are truly compatible. Moving on from a divorce is a process that takes time but is eventually something that you will move past. By applying the steps above, you’ll be one step closer to putting your life back together and feeling like your old self again! -