Valentine’s Day – the celebrated holiday of love, chocolate hearts, and roses – is on the horizon, which means new divorcés across the country are cringing. The holiday can be a little rough when you’re single, but that feeling of being left out or understandably jaded can spike after a recent divorce. In order to get through Cupid’s holiday with as little stress as possible, try to keep a few friendly hints in mind.
Five tips to get you through Valentine’s Day as a new divorcé are:
- Remember why you divorced: Seeing advertisements with happy couples smiling, dining, and generally being deeply in love can trick your heart into wanting to reconnect with your ex-spouse. The first thing you should do on Valentine’s Day is to remember why you divorced. Your marriage got to a low point that made it unreasonable to try to repair it. Perhaps you wanted kids and your spouse didn’t? Maybe your spouse wanted to pursue a career overseas, but you’re tied to your hometown? Or maybe you just stopped getting along and spending time with them was no longer any fun. Whatever the reasons that put you over the edge to file for divorce, remember them so you don’t feel tempted to text your ex.
- Make the day fun for your kids: If you have any children, then they can save you from all of the post-divorce Valentine’s Day heartbreak. Children love Valentine’s Day because it is a colorful holiday often accompanied by special candies, glitter, and crafts. Create a fun activity for your children like making cute cards for each other and plan a fun Valentine’s Day dinner menu for them. Maybe heart-shaped cupcakes for dessert? Spending time with your kids can be a treat on Valentine’s Day, and it is a great way to make the hours fly by.
- Treat yourself: Millennials love to treat themselves to something nice now and then. Whether or not you belong to that generation, take their mantra to heart on Valentine’s Day by making the day about you. Get your favorite food delivered, pick up some candies or chocolates, put on a movie that makes you happy – not necessarily a romcom, though – and take a bubble bath.
- Skip the mall and Facebook walls: Any place that draws crowds will be a hotbed of Valentine’s Day advertisements, activities, and public displays of affection. Strip malls, movie theaters, and popular eateries will be busy in the real world, and Facebook walls and Instagram feeds will be bustling in the digital world. Unless you have to go somewhere on Valentine’s Night, you will probably have more fun and peace of mind staying in.
- Hang out with friends: Don’t forget the powerful love that is shared between friends. Valentine’s Day can be transformed into just another fun hangout with pals if you plan ahead. Board games, popcorn, popular Netflix shows, and more can all entertain you and your friends for hours, so you don’t worry about what your ex is doing that night. You might want to only invite single friends and those who aren’t prone to romantic gossiping, though.
Need more help to get through a divorce? Percy Law Group, PC offers family law services throughout Massachusetts. Call (508) 206-9900 to speak with our team about your ongoing divorce, or if you need to make modifications to a completed divorce.