It is important to take good care of yourself when going through divorce.

Many people struggle with taking care of themselves – or even abandon the effort altogether – when going through a divorce.  While understandable, this results in a much longer recovery time once the divorce is final.  Your mind and body will have to absorb, process, and recover from much more under these circumstances, and doing so will take longer because your body and mind have made so many sacrifices during this time.  To avoid a longer recovery period following your divorce, it pays to adhere to the following principles:

-Eat healthy, nutritious foods – Now is not the time to go off your diet, much as your self-destructive tendencies might tempt you to do so.  It’s also not the time to go on a low-calorie, restrictive eating plan that will wreak havoc with your blood sugar.  Eat small portions of nutritious, healthy foods from all food groups throughout the day to keep your energy up and your blood sugar on an even keel.

-Get plenty of rest – Sleep is highly underrated when humans are under stress.  If you are plagued by insomnia, spend time reading magazines and pithy books – don’t involve yourself in anything heavy right before bedtime, including self-help.  Resting your body is important, even when your mind is not fully at rest.

-Get plenty of exercise – Moving your body, whether it’s in a strenuous yoga class, while playing basketball with friends, or in simply going for a walk, will help you process your loss in a healthy way.  And if you’re having trouble sleeping, regular exercise will help by wearing out your overactive mind.

-Seek support from family and friends – Your family and friends want to offer support, but they may not know how and might do so in a rather awkward fashion.  It’s your responsibility to let them know what you need, and you might as well learn how to do so now, since making your needs known will be the key to fulfillment in your new life.  If you need an afternoon shopping trip or golf game with no mention of your impending divorce, let your family and friends know – they will be relieved to be assured of offering support in the manner from which you’ll most benefit.

-Get counseling – If you want to make yourself happy once your divorce is final, you need to figure out how to do that.  While it’s possible to make these determinations without therapy, many people get stuck, and divorce counseling sessions will help you get there faster – who wouldn’t want that?

-Don’t give in to addictions – Drinking too much alcohol, abusing prescription drugs, and overeating are all tempting during times of trouble.  Each offers a temporary respite from your troubles.  But these addictions and others are likely to cause even more trouble as you attempt to break free of the depression caused by your divorce.  If you don’t invite them in, they can’t take over.

-Be kind to and patient with yourself – Recovering from divorce requires progression through the stages of grief, just as any other loss does.  Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to “get over it.”  You will recover at your own pace.

-Ease back in to life – When you go out on the town, go out with friends you can trust to get you out of dicey situations before you do something you’ll regret.  Don’t start dating too soon or leap into a rebound relationship.  Take baby steps, and remember, the longer you’ve been out of circulation, the smaller those baby steps should be.

-Try to maintain consistency in other aspects of your life – Don’t quit your job, abandon your friends, or move unless absolutely necessary.  You are already facing enough change and will probably have to deal with more, so hold on to what you have.  If you are faced with a big decision, take extra time to think things over.  Divorce has a tendency to create thinking patterns that are not to the benefit of the thinker, so don’t let anyone talk you in to anything.

-Try something new – Married people often lose touch with themselves in terms of their likes and dislikes.  Step outside your comfort zone and take a class in jewelry-making, drumming, or networking.  Go back to school.  Take up a new sport.  Take advantage of this time to get in touch with who you are and celebrate yourself as an independent and unique individual.

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