New year, new you? Recently divorced men and dads in New Jersey will undoubtedly face new opportunities and challenges in the new year. You may be living in a new home, building a new social circle, and making other extreme lifestyle adjustments. The world is your oyster now that you aren’t tied down to an unhappy relationship, so make the most of 2022 by adopting these new year’s resolutions.
Review Your Finances
Newly divorced men and fathers don’t have any say in the matter – they’re forced to adjust to their new financial circumstances. After all, we know you didn’t walk away from your marriage with 100% of the marital assets, and your household income might have dropped significantly once you decided to get divorced.
Now is the perfect time to review these financial changes and create a new budget. That way you can be sure you’re living within your means in 2022. And don’t forget to take a look at your retirement accounts, investments, and savings. Whereas you may have had the financial freedom to maintain aggressive investment portfolios during your marriage, you should consider your new household income and impending retirement, if applicable, when deciding how to handle future investments and savings.
Prioritize Your Physical and Mental Health
Countless studies have shown that divorce is one of the most stressful life events you can experience. Most of us know how stress can affect mental health, but did you know it can also make you more susceptible to illness? Stress may actually wear down your immune system and increase your chances of catching an illness like a cold over the winter.
Stress, sadness, and anxiety can also have indirect effects on the way you care for your physical body. It may make it more difficult to get quality sleep, and some men even find that they start to overeat when they’re feeling negative emotions. Make a vow to yourself now that you’ll put your health first this year, even if you need to rearrange your schedule or increase your grocery budget.
Commit to Healthy Co-Parenting – For the Sake of Your Kids
You’re a good dad, and you know the divorce has been hard on the kids. Now you’re wondering what to do to show your kids how much you love and care about them. According to the pros, dads should prioritize a healthy co-parenting relationship if they want to help their kids adjust to the divorce. Trust me, as a divorce lawyer for NJ fathers, I know this may be easier said than done. Some parents are willing to put their differences aside, but others are just too bitter to consider the long-term effects of their actions. Truthfully, the mother of your children may not be willing to cooperate, but there may be legal recourse to ensure she’s at least civil toward you and when talking about you to the kids. Talk to your lawyer for men to learn more about your options.
Forgive Your Ex
Healthy co-parenting and cooperation with your ex wife go hand in hand. I get it – divorces can be nasty. They’re often initiated after months or years of conflict and may be due to infidelity or narcissistic abuse. You can’t control what happened in the past, and you can’t control how your ex acts in the present, but you can make the conscious decision not to let her behavior affect your well-being. It’s time to truly forgive your ex without any expectation of reciprocity. You’re letting go of the past for yourself, not for anyone else. I’m sure you’ll feel a huge weight lifted when you make the decision to stop allowing your ex to leech your time and energy.
