Your divorce is final, now what? Do you pop out the champagne and have a party? Do you crawl up in a ball and hide from the world? Now is the time to breathe a sigh of relief. All the paperwork, hearings, and rigmarole is now finally over.
Here are 7 things to do after your divorce is final:
- When it comes to having your divorce finalized, there a few things you need to do first, in accordance with karencovy.com. Firstly it is really important to read your divorce decree. Find some quiet time, when you are alone, open a bottle of champagne, and read your divorce decree. You would be surprised, at how many people do not read their divorce decrees. This is the end of your former life and the start of something new. Familiarise yourself with it and make sure that there are no errors. If you find any errors, make sure to contact your lawyer immediately. Make a list of all your obligations, as well as your ex’s and make sure that you and your ex live up to those obligations. You will also need to make sure that you and your ex meet the deadlines for those specific obligations. An example of an obligation, is the dividing of all your property, as set out by your divorce decree or by changing the title of ownership for your vehicles. Another good idea would be to let your insurance company know of any change of ownership or address changes that have been made. If you have decided to change your surname back to your maiden name, you would then need to change it on your driver’s license as well as all your bank cards. You would also have to rewrite your will. If you have children, you would need to manage your time with them, if you need to buy them new beds, etc for your new place, then you will need to attend to that. An easy way to set up a schedule for your children, where you and your ex can see what’s going on, is to set up a shared Google calendar. When it comes to your children, keep talking to them and let them know what’s going on. Make sure to always let them know that you love them and help them to feel secure. According to onlinedivorce.com, one of the first things you need to do when it comes to your divorce being finalized is to apply for your own health insurance if you don’t have your own. This will make sure that you are covered in case of any medical emergencies.
- Once all the finer details are covered, make sure not to do anything drastic, physically. Have you always wanted a tattoo? Or piercings in interesting places? Rather wait before you make big lifelong, physical changes. Many people go through a rebellious stage after a breakup, but you might regret making permanent changes to your body. It would be wise to wait a while after your divorce has been finalized, to make drastic changes. Make sure your emotions are settled and you are at peace.
- Another thing you might want to do after your divorce has been made final is to create a new life online. Start new a new facebook page, a new Instagram profile and so on. You want people to know that you are now single. And having a fresh start with new photos will be good for you.
- If you are a woman, and you haven’t worked in a while, perhaps seeing a counsellor would be a good idea to do an aptitude test, to see which career would suit you best. You could even hire a career coach. A career coach would help you set up a Linkedin account or write your resume. If there is a specific career path you have always wanted to do, now is the time to live your dreams and follow your true calling.
- If you are still struggling with your recent divorce, seeing a therapist is an excellent idea. They can help you deal with your emotions and help you move forward from the heartache. They could also give you great advice on how to help your children with the emotions, that they might be facing. Speaking about your divorce, your ex, and the life you lived before will be a good way to move forward.
- Reach out to friends and family for support. Is there an old friend from school that you haven’t heard from in a while? Reach out to them and find out how they are. Make sure, you surround yourself with people who have a positive influence on your life. You always want to be around people who make you happy and who are supportive. It’s also important, to remember how far you have come since your divorce. Take time to feel the emotions you are feeling and remember you are now embarking on a new journey. It’s a new chapter and the page is empty. You can rewrite your story any way you want. If you want to, plan a mini getaway. Sometimes a change of scenery can do so much for your soul.
- Lastly, stay single for as long as you need to. It can be really tempting to start dating immediately again. Perhaps, you feel lonely and want to alleviate those feelings. Or you might feel that by dating again, you are getting back at your ex. Some people might need a few months to get over there divorce and others might take years. You need to make sure that you are truly ready to date again, and that you are not just using dating as a crutch to mend your heart. You need to heal in time and really access all you have been through and where you would like to be in the future. Use this time to find yourself again, and be true to yourself. If there are things that you have always wanted to do and have never been able to, now is the time to do so.
These are just a few things to do once your divorce is final. You might have many mixed emotions at the moment, but remember that these feelings will not last forever. If you are hurting, time will heal the pain. If you are happy, then that is wonderful! Take this time now for yourself and remember that this is a new and exciting chapter. This is just the beginning!
