How to Stay Friends With an Ex Spouse

Divorce can be ugly and turn a once-happy man and wife into bitter, angry individuals. However, it doesn't have to be this way. With a little work, you can stay friends with your ex-spouse. By doing so, you and those around you can end up happier. Staying friends with an ex-spouse can rid you of resentment and anger, and, in some ways, draw you two closer than you were before.

Instructions

1. Allow some time to pass after the divorce. Don't try to go immediately from ex-spouse to friend. Give a chance for things to calm down before trying to open the lines of communication again.

2. Let go of any angry, bitter feelings toward your ex-spouse. Placing blame or harboring ill feelings is counterproductive. Accept what is, and realize that you had just as much a part in the divorce as your ex-spouse.

3. Remove the image of you as man and wife from your mind. Remember that what's past is past. Once that element is gone, approach each other as just friends.

4. Recall what personality traits attracted you to your spouse in the first place. Concentrate on each other's good qualities. Find things you have in common--such as kids, if there are any--and talk about them.

5. Refrain from talking about each other's love lives. If there is a new love interest on either side, find another topic to discuss. Accept that there is another person, but don't dwell on it.