8 Helpful Tips For Reinvigorating Your Life After Divorce
Life after divorce often seems incredibly daunting. Divorce means a chapter of your life ending and immense changes to your life as a whole. 60% of people who have suffered from depression before a divorce have a high risk of developing symptoms of depression again after divorce. You may also find yourself struggling to get started with life again: to break out of your shell, do something new, and try to rebuild your life.
Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to reinvigorate your life after divorce.
1. Commit to getting started ASAP.
One of the most difficult challenges when it comes to rebuilding your life is getting started. You have to take that first step in rebuilding or reinvigorating your life. Instead of letting yourself wallow, commit to those reinvigoration efforts as soon as possible. To help make those first steps a little easier, consider asking a friend or family member to stand as an accountability partner. Check in with them regularly to let them know how you’re progressing and what steps you still need to take.
2. Make a list of the things you’ve wanted to do in the past, but put off, or the things that you’ve been dreaming of.
When you make the decision to move forward with a divorce, you may have a picture in your mind of what life will look like. During your marriage, you may have put off certain activities: watching a certain type of movie or television show, engaging in certain activities, or going on certain trips. Once you no longer need to take your spouse into consideration, you can engage in those activities to your heart’s content–assuming that your finances allow it. Sit down and put together a list of all the things you want to do or accomplish. You may want to include:
- Specific movies and shows you want to see
- Places you want to go
- Activities you’ve wanted to engage in
- Restaurants you want to visit
Do you want to go ax throwing? To wander through your local nature preserve? To go hiking? This is the perfect opportunity to put those activities on your bucket list and start checking them off.
3. Choose a new hobby.
Many people, after divorce, have a hard time deciding what they want to do with their time. There may be specific hours when you’re more likely to feel lonely: during the evening or on weekends, for example, when you and your partner may have been more likely to spend time together. To help fill those hours, consider choosing a new hobby. If you have always wanted to learn how to play a specific musical instrument, this could be the perfect time to start taking lessons. If you’ve always wanted to try out a specific type of artwork, now is the perfect time to start exploring. You can check out online options for budget-friendly options that are available at the right time for you.
4. Get more involved with your old hobbies.
It doesn’t have to be an old hobby that fills your hours. If you’re looking for a way to spice things up and be more engaged, consider getting more involved with your old hobbies–especially the ones you may have set to the side during your marriage. This is the perfect opportunity to dive into games or books you wanted to explore more fully, to finish some of those craft projects you’ve had sitting around for a long time, or to get more involved with a social group or club that you’ve wanted to get more involved with in the past.
5. Make sure you include reinvigoration as part of your budget.
Your budget may change dramatically after your divorce. You have dropped down to a single income, rather than having two incomes to help pay all of your bills. If you are the lower-earning spouse, that can lead to a number of financial challenges.
In any budget, however, it’s critical to have a little room for fun. As you develop your budget, make sure you include a specific area for discretionary or fun spending: a segment you can use to pursue your new hobbies or engage in new activities. Make sure that item takes into consideration your overall budget, but leaves you enough room to do things that you enjoy.
6. Take on home renovation projects.
Take a look at the home renovation projects you’ve been putting off–or perhaps projects that you’d like to see taken care of in order to make a new house or apartment feel like home. Post-divorce is the perfect time to put a little more energy into those projects, helping you feel more at home in your environment.
7. Reconnect with friends and family.
Sometimes, your marriage can cause you to disconnect from friends and family members, especially as you and your spouse start having trouble or want to spend less time together socially. In the aftermath of your divorce, reconnect with loved ones you may be missing. Get involved with clubs and organizations you were once part of, but had allowed yourself to drift from, again. Set specific times to get together with friends and family. An active social life can help lift your emotional state and help you feel more confident.
8. Engage in self-care activities.
What does self-care look like to you? Does it mean healthy eating? Exercise? Taking a long bath with a good book? Even as you’re taking steps to reinvigorate your life, make sure you prioritize self-care. This is the ideal time to leave space for yourself and your needs–and a great time to figure out what it is that you really need to thrive.
Are you moving forward with your divorce? Wondering about your legal rights and what help you can seek? Contact Pedrick Law Group, APC today at 818-325-3934 to connect with a caring, compassionate divorce attorney that will help guide you through the difficult legal process and help you reinvigorate your life after divorce.