No matter how you look at it, divorce is stressful. Even if you’re glad that you’re moving to a new chapter in your life, you still have to deal with things such as property division, child custody and other issues with your Newmarket divorce lawyer.
Psychologists say that stress is cumulative; that means it builds up, and what may not have bothered you a year ago can seem like a life-shattering event today. Unless, of course, you have a healthy outlet for your emotions and have a way to let off some steam so you can regroup.
3 Stress-Busting Techniques for People Going Through Divorce
You can’t completely eradicate stress during a divorce, so realistically, your goal should be to lower your stress levels. You can do that by:
- Taking up a new hobby. Many people find that physical activity is a great outlet, but that’s not the case for everyone. However, pounding out your frustrations on the pavement in a new pair of running shoes is good for both body and mind; so are activities such as yoga, pummeling a punching bag during an intense workout, and swimming laps in an Olympic-sized pool.
Your hobby doesn’t have to be physical, though. Dive back into reading, painting or writing if you enjoy indulging your creative side. Brush up on your movie knowledge, knit a blanket or work on a collection of your favorite pieces. What’s really important is that you give yourself an activity that you enjoy doing so that you can look forward to it when things get tough.
- Get your feelings out. Whether you talk to a friend, a family member, or a therapist (if you’d like, you can ask your Newmarket divorce lawyer for a confidential referral to a local therapist), it’s helpful to have someone to talk to about what you’re experiencing. You can even keep a divorce journal if you’re comfortable writing about your feelings.
- Forge ahead. The best way to move forward is to stop looking back. Things in your past, including what happened with your relationship, are out of your control – but if you’re like most people, they cause you a significant amount of stress. You can’t control what’s already done, but you can control what happens next. Each time you catch yourself stressing over the past, remind yourself that you’re building a new future… and it’s going to be great.
While you’ll still have unavoidable stress (it’s a normal part of divorce), you can help yourself cope with it if you take the right actions now. Nobody wants to let stress affect his or her mental and physical health, and making sure that you have a good outlet during this tough time can help prevent it from affecting you long after your divorce is finalized.
