Maybe it’s one of those nights. Once again, there you are at 3am. Alone. Awake. Staring into the darkness unable to stop your mind from circling.
Or maybe it’s one of those days. You’re single parenting and facing down a teen with an attitude and you’re all out of patience.
The divorce process is chaotic and overwhelming. For me, the divorce process meant so many new, bewildering experiences coming at me all at once.
How to live alone again. Buying a new car. Reestablishing credit. Parenting alone. Heck, even learning how to use a drill to hang curtain rods.
And then. There are the lonely nights. That was the hardest part for me.
How do you handle all of this?
For me, I found that four simple words helped me ease the stress during my divorce process.
What were these words?
IT WILL GET EASIER.
I was so overwhelmed with all the changes. I had to learn to take a step back and know that I could handle all the challenges that were coming my way.
I learned to view all the new experiences and know that, like all new experiences and all new skillsets, it might be scary the first time but with practice, things would get easier. And the next time I encountered this challenge, it would be easier to take it on.
And it worked.
With practice, I learned the skills to be a single mom. I bought a car on my own. I even learned how to work a power drill (and finally hang those new curtain rods!)
Need help handling the stress of the divorce process? Try these simple tricks.
Keep this phrase in a place where you can see it each morning. (I put it on a post it and kept it on my makeup mirror.)
Add it to the Notes section on your phone. So you can see it anytime, anywhere.
Keep a journal where you list all of the challenges you are working through. Then you’ll be able to see the progress you’re making as you learn these new skills.
Ask for help. Friends, family, online friends and support groups . There are many resources out there. Don’t suffer alone.
And finally, believe in yourself and know that you can and will survive and thrive through the chaos of the divorce process. (Want a 31 day checklist to help you in divorce? Here’s a post with step by step tips.)
For more resources, head over to my profile on Pinterest where I’ve compiled lots of links and helpful posts. Plus, I post resources (and silly memes to make you laugh) on the Facebook page.
Send me your questions and comments, specifically, how did you overcome the challenges of the divorce process?
xoxo-Rosie
View Comments (1)
So true. I remember at my lowest during my divorce wishing the year was over. Then I thought about my cousin who was battling cancer and I was so ashamed. Her lot was harder and what if she lost the battle? I was wishing her time away, not just mine. It was at that moment that I was able to turn myself around. The divorce took a whole year longer but I was better equipped emotionally to handle it from that point on.