Divorce Recovery Tips: Part 2

Tip #6 – Exercise boosts your mood. Go for a jog or bike ride when you feel overwhelmed.

Exercise isn’t just for getting in shape – it also can help you to regulate your mood better. When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins, which are chemicals that trigger pleasant feelings in the body and reduce sensations of pain. Endorphins also can help combat depression, anxiety, and stress – all things you may be struggling with after a divorce.

If you’re really exercise-averse, you can find ways to be active that aren’t traditional exercises. Go for a walk downtown, explore a natural park, or try out a dance class.

 

Tip #7 – Divorce isn’t a failure. It’s just a new chapter

Many of have this notion that a marriage should last forever or else it’s a failure. And yes, when we marry someone, we want it to last forever, because we love them. But it’s not a personal failing when the marriage ends – people change, situations change, and in the end, we have to do what’s best for us. There’s no reason for us to stay unhappy, because life is too short.

Instead of seeing your divorce as a failure, see it as a vital step in creating a happy life. Cherish the good memories you have and the lessons you’ve learned from this part of your life. Then, take a step forward and embrace the future.

 

Tip #8 – Find opportunities to work on a personal project.

Divorce suddenly thrusts you into your independence. Now is a time for you to grow as a person and embrace being on your own again, even if it’s intimidating at first.

One of the best ways you can do this is by pursuing your interests. Putting your energy into a project gives you some purpose at a time when you likely feel a little unmoored. And when you finish that project, you’ll feel accomplished, independent, and confident in your ability to meet challenges on your own.

 

Tip #9 – Don’t forget that you can always turn to friends and family for support.

Sometimes we don’t want to share our feelings with our family or friends because we don’t want to be a burden, or because we feel like we should have moved on already. But often, we end up sabotaging ourself in our desire to be independent or appear “okay.” Your loved ones may not bring the divorce up out of respect for your privacy, but that doesn’t mean they don’t care or don’t want to hear about it. If you need help, whether it be emotional, spiritual, or physical, all you need do is ask.

 

Tip #10 – Keep your mind healthy by keeping your body healthy.

When we think about our emotions, we often neglect to remember the physical component of them. All of our emotions are just chemicals produced in the body as a response to the things that happen around us as well as the things that happen within us. Because of this, when the body is unhealthy, the mind is affected too, leading to worse moods, less motivation, and less confidence. For example, lack of sleep can cause hallucinations and memory impairment and a poor diet can contribute to fatigue, depression, and even sleeplessness. The reverse is also true – if your body is healthy, the path to emotional health is made that much easier.

 

Divorce Recovery Tips are posted Tuesdays and Fridays on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 |Part 4

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by Venn Crawford, Marketing Assistant