How to Move on After a Failed Marriage

Expressing your feelings is healthier than retreating and repressing them.

While the end of any long-term relationship can devastate the couple involved, divorce adds legal and child-related complications that exacerbate the stress and despairing thoughts that accompany heartbreak. The best strategies for moving on after a failed marriage involve conscious decision-making about lifestyle choices, nutrition and physical activity. Any forward momentum in your life will eventually force you out of grief and allow you to enjoy the rest of your life.

Instructions

1. Accept that the relationship has ended. Don't allow the fear of being alone to keep you from accepting the end and moving forward. Set aside time for the natural process of grieving but avoid catastrophic thoughts about the end of your life or the lack of potential for happiness in the future.

2. Ask for help creating a plan for your future. Assess your finances and potential job opportunities. Use schedules and routines to prevent despair from halting your forward momentum. Make time for hobbies and passions while avoiding drugs, alcohol, television and other distractions that offer short-term relief but detract from your long-term goals.

3. Look back on your failed marriage and assess what went wrong. Investigate your own failings as well as those of your partner. Before moving on to another relationship, learn from the mistakes you made in your previous relationship so that you avoid falling into the same situation again. Don't beat yourself up; be honest about your weakness as a partner instead.

References

• Helpguide: Coping with a Breakup of Divorce
• Dr. Phil: Life After Divorce