A divorce is the end of a phase of your life that you likely didn’t intend to ever end. But when a marriage is over, it’s important that you do what you can to move on with some level of dignity, no matter the circumstances of the divorce itself. You may be hurt, angry, and experiencing a wide range of other emotions as well, but staying positive and picking up the pieces of your life is a must.

There are several things that you can do to help with this. Here are some of the key things to keep in mind that can make it easier for you to go through a divorce with as much dignity and self-respect as possible.

• First, find a good divorce attorney. Even when a divorce is amicable, the fact that emotions can swell up at any moment means that they can cloud your judgement and cause you to react to your spouse in a way that could make the rest of the divorce more difficult. An attorney will provide representation for you without any emotional bias, keeping the divorce moving forwards properly.
• Try to look at the positives. When a marriage ends, it’s also a new beginning for those involved. Even if you’re hurt, try to stay focused on positive aspects like being able to take up a new hobby that you haven’t had time for or living without the need to consider how someone else will react to your actions. Every cloud has a silver lining, finding it can be the key to staying upbeat during your divorce.
• If there are children involved, try to keep their best interests in mind. It’s easy to look at a divorce as being all about you, but kids will be impacted tremendously as well. During custody discussions, be honest about what is the best for them instead of fighting just to save face.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself, either. Remember that you’re not alone, and remember that the feelings you’re going through are normal. Too many people blame themselves for their emotions during this time. That can only make it harder to move on.

In the end, it really comes down to trying to keep the right mindset after a divorce and letting someone who isn’t involved directly help you out – your attorney. Your entire life is still ahead of you, and moving on from the past as smoothly and respectfully as possible is important.