It’s safe to say that when you first married your spouse the last thing you thought about was ending the marriage. Yet, every year, thousands of spouses in Texas and across the country get divorced. It is no secret that divorce is typically an emotional and stressful process. In fact, it’s one of the most difficult life events that you may experience.
When you think about divorce, you may envision contentious court trials and spouses at odds with each other. Although avoiding court proceedings may not be an option for some spouses, these days there are more ways to approach divorce. If you and your spouse are willing to work together, an uncontested, or amicable, divorce is typically a smoother and less-stressful option to pursue. Here are a few ways to facilitate an amicable divorce process.
Be open to negotiate
Honesty and openness comprise the foundation of a smooth and amicable divorce. If you or the other party attempts to hide valuable information like income or assets it will make an amicable divorce a near impossibility. In the beginning, it is helpful if you both establish a common goal, which is to get through the divorce as peacefully and stress-free as possible. Agree to be open and honest about all aspects of your divorce or all your efforts will be pointless.
Mutual respect
An amicable divorce cannot happen without the cooperation and a certain level of mutual respect between spouses. Divorce is emotional, but do not let your emotions overtake you. Maintain a positive outlook by keeping your end goal in mind and focusing on staying calm. Be ready to cooperate through negotiations. Listen to your spouse and contemplate their suggestions.
Forget and forgive
You may want to keep bringing up how you were wronged in the marriage or the mistakes that were made in the past. You may want justice, but this type of attitude will only keep you suffering. There are really no winners in a divorce and it won’t help anything if you keep blaming your spouse for the way things turned out. If you want an amicable divorce, you have to forgive your spouse and let the past stay in the past.
If you want an amicable divorce, it’s a conscious choice that you have to make. An amicable divorce is not possible for all separating spouses, but you have to decide what method of divorce works best for your situation and stick to it. Remember, holding on to negative emotions from the past will only keep you stuck there and will ultimately get you nowhere. It goes without saying that the legal aspects of divorce are often very confusing. Fortunately, there is help readily available for any person who may be headed for divorce or currently going through it.