It’s wedding season, and many weddings are happening right now. If yours did, that means you might have an anniversary coming up. If you are divorced, this can raise all kinds of emotions. You may have feelings of anger, resentment, regret, or sadness. All those things can happen on the date of your anniversary.
Why You Feel Lonely After A Divorce
Even if you wanted the divorce, you could still be feeling nostalgic. You might find yourself dreaming about what could have been. Anniversaries after divorce or going through a divorce during your anniversary is like the rotten section of a bridge. We see it coming and dread the approach, but have to cross it to keep moving on. An important thing to remember is that if we go in unprepared, we risk falling through all of those harsh and painful memories.
Recognizing and Releasing Your Emotions on Your Anniversary
There is a certain confidence and pride that comes from successfully navigating tricky terrain and making it through an anniversary after divorce is a triumph. Usually, the first couple of years after a divorce is the most emotional time, and that’s okay! Allow yourself to feel everything without expecting anything from yourself, your family, or the world.
How to Cope with Going Through a Divorce Anniversary
You lost something huge, after all! If you give your feelings the attention, they deserve.
It’s a natural part of grieving a loss, and it’s a process that takes time.
While you might have felt fine yesterday, something can trigger you, like an anniversary.
If you find yourself in this situation, it is perfectly okay to cry and mourn your relationship. Divorce rates over time have increased as a whole, and many people feel the same way as you. I do want to warn you though, be careful not to let this moment cause you to backslide into old feelings.
You worked to get out of that place, and your progress to move forward can easily be reversed. If you’re always looking behind you over your shoulder, you will soon be stuck, or worse, end up walking right into a wall. If it’s your divorce anniversary, allow yourself to feel any negative emotions that you may be feeling, but look forward to the great things ahead.
Look Forward to the Future
Your future is right in front of you, and sometimes that means just taking a small step forward. Taking just one step forward at a time will get you closer to coming to peace with what your marriage was or maybe even what it was not. Stay optimistic about what’s ahead for you.
How to Celebrate Your Divorce Anniversary
Do something that reminds you of the good that still exists in your life. On your divorce anniversary, do something positive for yourself. Choose an activity that brings you joy. That activity could be going for a hike, it can be just getting lost in a book, or maybe going for a picnic with your children. I know you didn’t expect this plot twist, but you are entitled to an alternative
happy ending.
