Just as one would take steps to ready themselves for a blizzard or prepare themselves for a major test in school, it is vital that anyone who is faced with the prospect of getting a divorce take steps to prepare themselves for what’s to come.A divorce is one of the most impactful types of upheaval that can occur in a person’s life. Nearly everything about your life will change in a divorce, and change is never easy. If you are to have any chance of effectively coping with and surviving your divorce—particularly if you expect it to be a contentious affair—then you need to prepare yourself in several key facets of your life.Specifically, there are three main facets of readiness on which you should focus your preparation efforts. Anyone who is getting a divorce should ready themselves financially, logistically, and perhaps most importantly, emotionally.
Financially
There is almost no doubt that your divorce is going to take a serious financial toll on your life. There is, of course, the obvious post-divorce financial changes that will occur, but you especially need to prepare yourself for the financial impact of the divorce proceeding itself. A divorce can take a long time, cost a significant amount of money, and you may have to deal with financial burdens you were not previously responsible for in your day-to-day life in the interim. A few of the steps you can take to financially prepare yourself for your divorce are to open a bank account in your name only, begin saving as much as you can of your own personal income in that account, seek gainful employment if you do not already have it, and cut costs wherever possible such as moving in with a relative to minimize cost-of-living.
Logistically
When it comes to your divorce, logistical matters are any practical efforts you need to take to prepare for your divorce. This is the actual nuts and bolts of getting your divorce, such as hiring a divorce attorney to represent you, gathering and making copies of vital documents, and any other efforts to organize and strengthen your case should your divorce proceed to a trial. This is a broad category, and it is incredibly important that your make comprehensive logistical preparations for your divorce. Leave no stone unturned. Your attorney can help advise you on the specific logistical steps you need to take.
Emotionally
As we previously mentioned, emotionally preparing for your divorce may be the single most important step you can take to be ready for the trials and tribulations you will likely face. There is no getting around the emotional toll of a divorce. The life you always imagined, that you have worked for years to build, is coming to an end, and you will likely need to properly grieve the death of that life. Do not try to bottle your emotions or brush them aside. Confront them and take steps to deal with them. This may including seeking professional counseling, meditating, exercising, speaking with those who have been there before, and relying on a support system comprised of loved ones. If you do not prepare for the intense emotions you will likely be faced with during your divorce, they could catch you off guard and lead to lapses in judgment or other detrimental issues in your case. They could even cause stress-related health issues. Do whatever it takes to help you prepare and cope with the intense emotions inherent in divorce.The law firm of Duncan Legal PC is dedicated to helping individuals in Colorado with all aspects of their divorce, from preparation to execution of the divorce and everything in between. If you are considering getting a divorce, please give us a call today.