There’s nothing easy about divorcing, but divorcing during the holiday season can make the process even more difficult. And as if the holidays weren’t different enough with a pandemic reaching record-breaking numbers of new infections across the country nearly every day, you’re also dealing with the pain and emotional turmoil that many people experience as they divorce during a time of the year that’s supposed to be filled with joy and laughter. In this post, we’ll provide you with five effective ways to care for yourself as you make your way through your divorce and work toward happier holidays in the future.

At Fairell Roy & Associates , we understand how difficult it can be to divorce during the holiday season. We take a fair, firm, and empathetic approach to divorce cases and provide our clients with the support they deserve as we work toward favorable settlements that protect their interests. Contact our firm to schedule a consultation if you would like to speak with an experienced Atlanta divorce attorney , and continue reading below to learn more about how you can make this holiday season brighter and more enjoyable.

Many people experience stress during the holiday season due to the uncertainty leading up to it. You haven’t spent the holiday season alone for a number of years, and you’re probably envisioning different ways that this year’s gatherings and traditions will play out. Moreover, the pandemic has left all of us hanging in anxiety and uncertainty as we weigh the decision to travel and see loved ones or celebrate remotely and find new ways of honoring old traditions.

There’s a lot that we don’t have control over right now, but the steps you take toward planning ahead can give you some semblance of agency and go a long way toward feeling more confident about spending the holidays without your spouse. Get proactive and make plans about who you’ll call, where you’ll go, and what you’ll do for the holidays — you’ll be much less likely to throw in the towel and spend them alone and feeling down.

Traditions associated with the holidays often evoke feelings of sadness and loss. While you’re planning ahead, why not think about new traditions that you can use to mark the beginning of a new chapter in your life? Maybe you’ve always wanted to create your own ornaments, or perhaps you have a few recipes that you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t had the chance to make. Now is your chance to break out and try something new!

As we noted in the previous section, the holiday season is often a poignant reminder of the past and what we’ve lost over the years. You don’t need to push these feelings away, but you should also take the time to reflect on and appreciate the things you do have. We recommend that you keep a gratitude journal and make small lists of the things that you’re grateful for each day. What you include doesn’t have to be anything monumental — it certainly can be, but a good cup of coffee or something nice a friend did for you are just as good. It sounds small, but reflecting on the good things in your life has been proven to make a significant difference in well-being and day-to-day mood.

Social media is one of the most prevalent causes of anxiety and depression in people of all ages. This can be particularly true if you’re going through a divorce and all of your friends are posting this year’s family photos and posting about how well things are going for them. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but it can evoke feelings of inferiority and jealousy. Instead of scrolling through social media, find a book you enjoy or an activity that requires you to engage with what you’re doing in the moment.

No matter what time of the year you divorce, it’s crucial to have a strong support network behind you. Social distancing makes it difficult to get in-person support safely, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get support from your friends via video chat or over the phone. Planning ahead is key — there will be plenty of days that you don’t feel like socializing, but isolating yourself will only cause you to feel worse. If you’re having a particularly difficult time, you may want to consider speaking with a professional.

We hope that this post will make it easier for you to divorce throughout the rest of the year. We understand that there’s nothing difficult about going through a significant life change at this time of the year, and we invite you to contact our office if you haven’t had the opportunity to speak with an Atlanta divorce attorney about your circumstances. At Fairell Roy & Associates, we get to know our clients and make their priorities our own as we fight for fair and just resolutions.

We also offer live Q&A sessions each week on our Facebook page. If you have any questions that you would like to ask through the public chat or by direct message, just stop by and we’ll be happy to help.

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