You have not felt good about your marriage for a few months. You already tried counseling, but the tenets you and your spouse learned did not set in deeply. Now, you are thinking about divorce but have yet to inform your spouse.
This is the time to carefully consider whether to follow through with this decision. You will have many that only you can answer. Some related to finance, some about your children and some about yourself.
Finances and the children
Please take the time to consider the following questions:
- Will I be able to recapture happiness? It may take some time, but it is possible to regain happiness in your life. Maybe you felt constrained in your marriage and could not be yourself. It is time to rediscover new and old interests and gain new friendships.
- Can I capably confront financial challenges? You may have to find a new place to live due to costs, and you will discover that one income does not stretch as far as the two incomes. This especially holds true when raising children.
- Can I comfortably fulfill the tasks once done by my spouse? Maybe your spouse dealt with bill-paying, budgeting, investing or even taking the children to sports practice or preparing their favorite foods. You can accomplish this on your own. Just give yourself time.
- How will the children react and adapt? This may be the most troublesome question to address. Prepare yourself for an array of emotions. Uncertainty, anger and sadness likely surface. Let the children know that you and their other parent will remain fixtures in their lives.
Self-examination becomes more of an essential part of your life as you ponder whether to get a divorce.
Trust your instincts
Expect some heavy lifting centered on emotions and decision-making when considering divorce. Address the crucial questions that surface and take your time to answer them. Your instincts may tell you that this is the right move for you.