Ending a marriage is never easy, even when both parties agree that it is the right thing to do. For many Florida spouses, this is an overwhelming experience, and one that brings up a great deal of emotions. Learning to overcome those emotions in favor of rational decision-making is important. When people are unable to set aside their feelings and focus on the details of a divorce, the outcome can be a settlement that will be difficult to live with.
Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind during the course of a divorce is to make every effort to avoid making decisions that are based in emotion. That means taking the time to make mindful choices, and to reflect on whether each significant decision is in line with one’s long term goals and needs. That might take some time to accomplish, but it will be time well spent.
Some of the areas where people tend to make irrational choices involve the division of parenting duties. Faced with the prospect of seeing their children less often, parents can overreact, going to great lengths to attempt to “win” as much time as they can. That often does nothing to serve the interests of the children, who need to bond with both parents and to maintain a degree of stability in their daily lives.
Property division is another area where emotions often trump reason. Many a spouse has fought long and hard to keep the family home, only to realize months after the divorce has been settled that maintaining the home is far more challenging on their own. In fact, some will even end up selling the property at a loss shortly after divorce, just to be rid of an asset that they fought bitterly to keep.
The best way to avoid this type of emotionally fueled decision-making is for Florida spouses to address their emotional and legal needs separately. That can be accomplished by working with a counselor to move through the emotional side of divorce, while turning to a trusted attorney to handle legal matters. By creating and maintaining a clear separation between these two important areas, it is possible to move through a divorce with a reduced risk of making poor decisions.
Source: marketwatch.com, “Divorce lawyers: 30% more couples terminate their marriage after the holidays“, Quentin Fottrell, Jan. 4, 2017
