Psych Yourself Up

• After a divorce, you are often the most negative person you know at the time. Instead of thinking that your life is over and you can’t find happiness again, point out the good things in your live. For example, remind yourself that you have a family that cherishes you and you are still a valuable, beautiful person that deserves respect and admiration. Telling yourself these positive things will help make your outlook much brighter, allowing you to start the healing process.
  
  

Rely on Loved Ones

• Spending time with people who love and worry about you will help with the healing process. Reconnect with your friends and family, creating a strong support group to help you through times of doubt and sadness. Choose friends that don’t have the obligation of marriage for your main support group, though, or you may find yourself hurting while you watch them interact with their spouse. Friends not involved in romantic relationships also have more time and energy to commit to you.
  
  

Reinvent Yourself

• When you enter into a marriage, you reinvent yourself into a spouse. When the marriage ends, another transformation may occur when you exit the spouse role. Changing your appearance and attitude can make you feel like a new person, detached from the stress of a failed marriage. Redecorate your house to express your style alone instead of the shared style you had with your ex-spouse. Star dressing the way you want to without having to worry about the opinion of your ex-spouse as well. Take a trip to somewhere you’ve never been or start educational courses for a hobby you enjoy.
  
  

Maintain Your Family

• When a divorce involves children, it can be especially stressful. Talking to your children about life after the divorce can help them feel secure. Having a plan and vision for the future helps make the sudden lifestyle shift easier on all involved. Talk with your ex-spouse, if you are able, to navigate the shaky ground of divorced life. Set rules on visitation with the children (unless you handle that in court) as well as rules on conduct around the house and personal boundaries when it comes to starting new romantic relationships with others.