The holidays are a time of joy, giving, and spending time with loved ones.
Unfortunately, if you are in the midst of a divorce, the holidays can be a stressful and even depressing time. However, this is not the time to isolate yourself (other than responsibly for COVID).
During this time of year, it is more important than ever to stay active and engaged with your friends and family in one way or another.
Divorce and Holidays: Coping Strategies to Implement
Coping with divorce during the holidays does not seem like an easy task when you’re in the moment. However, by taking the following steps, you can give yourself the chance to feel happier and more at ease.
1. Learn to Let Go
Let go of negative feelings. Let go of expectations. Enjoy the moment.
This is a common piece of great advice but always easier said than done.
Start checking in with yourself throughout the day to see how you are feeling. Take deep breaths and implement mediation and visualization practices to help you release pent up feelings, breathe more deeply, and let go of stress.
2. Focus on Others
Focusing on your kids, family members, and friends takes your mind off your own worries and troubles. It is a nice respite, even if only for a bit. Think about what you can do to bring joy to the people around you—you might find it lifts your own spirits.
3. Make New Holiday Traditions
Traditions can bring back nostalgic memories that are like salt in the wound while you are going through a divorce. Thankfully, you can take the opportunity to create new traditions by:
- Deciding whom you want to be involved
- Starting with smaller rituals and traditions
- Reminding yourself that change is good, healthy, and a natural part of life
- Thinking about the meanings behind new traditions
- Avoiding too much self-critique
4. Find Ways to Cooperate with Your Ex
It can be difficult to do, but it is vital to your happiness to remember that the holidays are not just about you and your ex-spouse. They are about your collective families, including your kids.
Make a pact with your spouse (if at all possible) to cooperate and compromise during this special time of year.
Coping with Divorce During the Holidays – Why It Is Important to Avoid Isolation
After a divorce, you are facing a new chapter in life – you are newly single, have a different living situation, and may even notice a change within your circle of friends. Everything feels out of your control. Doing something that is “normal,” like participating in holiday traditions, can help you feel grounded and less overwhelmed. Though this year “normal” may mean something entirely different, don’t use it as an excuse to disconnect from your friends and family.
Another reason to partake in holiday traditions with friends and family is that isolation can worsen feelings of depression and anxiety. Not taking steps to manage stress and anxiety can have a profoundly negative effect on your health, contributing to:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Obesity
- Insomnia
- Risky behavior
- Fatigue
- Changes in mood
- Stomach and intestinal issues
- Unexplained muscle pain
Look at the Positive Side of Your Situation
It is so easy to focus on the negative side of divorce but there is a positive side, too. Focusing your attention on that side of the coin can help make coping with divorce during the holidays much easier. Here are just a few of the benefits:
- Less drama: If you lived through a contentious marriage, you can now concentrate on the friends and family members who make your life enjoyable.
- More freedom: While married, you had to consider your spouse’s feelings and desires when making holiday decisions. Now, everything is up to you. How do you want to spend the holidays?
- You are free to mingle: You can talk to anyone and everyone that you want during this holiday season.
- Decorations are totally optional: Not a fan of decorations? No problem. You are the master of your domain now, and you can choose how to design your space—and if you like the decorations, you’re free to go crazy with them if you want.
Choose a Legal Team That Will Fight for a Smooth Transition
The legal team at Divorce Lawyers for Men is committed to fighting for your rights, including those pertaining to property, funds, and other assets, as well as child custody. The team will also do all they can to help you and your ex through a smooth transition from marriage to divorce. If there is any way to make the divorce process—from mediation to litigation—less painful, the team will find a way to make it happen.
Are you considering divorce and need a men’s divorce attorney in Tacoma, Washington? Contact our team to find out how we can help you through the process with the least amount of stress possible.
