In divorce, there is always the leavor and the leftee. Both positions carry substantial emotional and financial baggage. Remember, when your spouse files for a divorce, you are on the legal journey to dissolution, but acknowledging the emotional stages of divorce is extremely important.
You must remember that you are NOT alone, although at times it may feel as if you are. You can pass through the stages to a safe and secure single life if you make yourself aware in advance of the difficulties you will face.
WHEN IT COMES TO DIVORCE, REMEMBER, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS.
If you went into your marriage viewing it as a partnership, you will assume that both spouses make substantially equal - although not necessarily identical - contributions to the relationship. If so, you would expect to receive fairly equal financial benefits from the marriage as well. This is not usually the case when dealing with finances though. You should not be left in a much lower financial position after the marriage ends. To achieve financial fairness though, you need to be able to navigate the emotional stages of divorce.
These five emotional stages of divorce are:
1. Pre-divorce
2. Decision
3. Final acceptance
4. Mourning
5. Re-Equilibrium
If you want to learn more about these stages and the strategies for financial preparedness see Chapter Two of my book “Fair Share Divorce for Women”.