Now you are divorced. What next?

Your legal divorce may have ended in court, but your overall divorce experience can last a lifetime.

Ending a marriage that has lasted long enough for two individuals to combine their hopes, dreams, money and finances can be tough to get over. No one gets married with a divorce included as part of the plan. Even though marriage is intended to last a lifetime, divorce can be the only option when the situation cannot be resolved without physical and emotional separation.

Being suddenly single again can be a time of grief and regret for the loss of past dreams. It can also be quite demanding to attempt to rebuild your life alone when you are divorced. Responsibilities left over from the marriage, like caring for young children and tackling finances on your own, are important tasks that will certainly require a lot of your time and attention. However, the most important task is to take care of your own needs first. You can’t be of much use to your children, family, job or friends if your life and emotions are in shambles. Just because you are recently divorced doesn’t mean you can’t be healthy and happy in the future.

Being recently divorced does not have to mean that you are all alone in life either. Professional counseling can be a big help in facing the necessary changes in lifestyle and dealing with the emotional issues.

You can also find counseling help from single parent support groups and your church community. Educational programs for divorced parents are often available at local schools, libraries and park districts too. The important thing is to seek the company of people who have already learned how to move ahead with their lives after their divorces It requires strength, hope and courage to make a new life after you get divorced. Maintain your health and attitude with a good diet and plenty of rest and exercise and you will surely find there is life after divorce.

Checklist for the Recently Divorced:

• Close all joint bank accounts and joint credit card accounts.
• Change the beneficiaries on all insurance policies and retirement accounts.
• Prepare a new Will.
• Prepare a new Power of Attorney