On behalf of The Law Office of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A.
A divorce is often a challenging experience for various reasons. One common struggle many faces involve remaining civil when speaking with their exes throughout the process.
That doesn’t mean staying civil during a divorce is impossible. If you’re divorcing a spouse, the following tips will help you minimize one of the main causes of stress you might encounter during this experience.
Make a Plan When You Will Need to Meet or Speak With Your Ex
There will likely be occasions during (and after) the divorce process when you will need to interact with your ex. One of the simplest ways to ensure these interactions are relatively painless and civil is to plan in advance what you are going to discuss, how you will phrase any sensitive statements or questions, and how you will respond to any of your ex’s potential words or behaviors that you believe may otherwise cause your temper to flare up.
Imagine you are rehearsing for a play. If you are genuinely angry with your ex, you’re essentially playing a character when you conceal your anger during meetings and talks with them. You’ll play that character much more convincingly if you prepare ahead of time.
Take Personal Responsibility
This may be among the most difficult tasks you can tackle when attempting to remain civil during a divorce. However, because it’s one of the most effective, it’s important to at least consider.
There are certain instances when one spouse is clearly responsible for a marriage ending. For example, if a spouse cheated, unless they were genuinely and legitimately driven to do so by their spouse’s behaviors, they would typically be the one most to blame for the marriage ending in divorce.
That said, it may be more common for a marriage to end because both parties contributed to the underlying problems in some way. If you can see how you are at least partially responsible for the path your marriage took, you can see the situation through the eyes of your ex, making it easier to understand why they may be upset with you.
It might not even be necessary to admit to your ex that you understand why you’re somewhat to blame in these circumstances. Merely taking personal responsibility by admitting your mistakes to yourself can help you stay more civil.
Reach Out to Someone
Is there someone in your life who has no reason to “side with” your ex over you during your divorce? Are any such people also divorced? If you can find the right friend or family member to confide in when you’re feeling angry or frustrated during this process, venting to them can reduce your stress and allow you to behave calmly when interacting with your ex.
You’ll also be much less stressed and therefore much more civil if you can be confident your lawyer is protecting your rights. At The Law Offices of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A., you’ll find a Florida divorce attorney committed to helping you get through this situation with as little pain and frustration as possible. Contact us online today to learn more about what we can do for you.
