Top

5 Positive Consequences Of Deciding To Divorce

When people talk about the impact of divorce on families, they make the focus on the negative consequences too frequently. While divorce does have some negative, immediate impact on finances and mental health, there are many benefits that come from ending an unhealthy marriage and moving on with your life as a single person.

While the true impact of divorce on your life and your family will depend on your family circumstances, the list below is a good cross-section of the most common positive consequences of divorce.

Improved mental health

Living with someone who doesn’t respect you is stressful, as is sharing your home with someone who doesn’t share your values. Severing an unhappy relationship can be stressful in the short run but can have long-term benefits for your mental health.

You reduce conflict for the children

Some people decide to stay in unhappy marriages because they think that doing so will be good for their kids. Children who witness frequent parental fights and an unhealthy dynamic at home will internalize some of the stress and conflict they witness. When you end a relationship that causes countless disagreements, you limit how much environmental stress your children have to endure.

You set a positive example for your children

Provided that you handle your divorce with dignity and collaborate with your ex, you can teach your children an important lesson about cooperating even during disagreements and pursuing what is best for yourself in life even if it means admitting a prior mistake.

More control over your finances

You never know when your ex will spend thousands of dollars on a weekend fishing getaway or a brand-new designer briefcase. Those who have issues with gambling and substance abuse can have a particularly damaging impact on household financial circumstances. You have more control over what you spend and what you save when you are the only one with access to your account.

Your share of the work might actually decrease

It is more common than ever for both spouses to work, but many households still have a noticeably uneven division of unpaid work like childcare, cleaning and household schedule management. If you already work full-time in addition to running your household, you may find that you actually have more free time and space for yourself after a divorce than you do when you have to cover some of your spouse’s share of household responsibilities.

Identifying some of the beneficial changes he will experience after a divorce might motivate you to make a big change for your long-term well-being.