Why You Shouldn’t Be Ashamed to Get Divorced
Decades ago, hardly anyone got divorced. When couples got married, they stayed married “‘til death do you part.” In good times and bad times, they stuck together. After all, divorce was considered shameful to a person. It was frowned upon and even against some religions.
While divorce is more common nowadays—affecting 40-50% of marriages—it is still considered shameful to some people. This is especially true for those who are children of divorce. They may have been through a tough time when their own parents divorced and vowed they would never put their children through that same torture.
However, despite your best efforts and intentions, you may end up getting a divorce. You may want to keep quiet about it because you feel ashamed. You shouldn’t be ashamed if you tried your hardest and still couldn’t make your marriage work. You shouldn’t be ashamed that you put up with being disrespected and abused by your spouse to make things work.
Don’t be ashamed to be a survivor. If you were the one who filed for divorce, then you showed that you stood up for yourself. You showed that you were tired of your spouse’s behavior. You are showing your children that you believe in yourself and that they should never tolerate abuse. That is nothing to feel ashamed about.
Unless you abused your spouse or cheated on them, then you shouldn’t be ashamed. Marriage requires a lot of hard work, and in many cases, only one spouse is doing all the work. You can go to marriage counseling all you want, but in the end, you can’t make your spouse put in the effort.
If you’re feeling ashamed about your divorce, think about why you got divorced or why you plan to divorce. Is it because your wife cheated on you? Is it because your husband’s priority is alcohol or drugs and not his family? Then you’re divorcing because you and your spouse have different values. You value family and commitment, and maybe he or she doesn’t. That’s OK. You need to find someone who shares the same values as you in order for your marriage to work.
Don’t resort to living in an unfulfilling marriage simply because you think a divorce would be shameful. You deserve to be in a happy relationship, so don’t live a lie because you’re worried about what others will think about you. After all, you probably know people who have been divorced once before or even multiple times. It’s more common than you think.
Seek Legal Help
Filing for divorce is a brave decision that takes a lot of courage. Going from a relationship to the single life is never easy, so if you made the decision to divorce, good for you. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney Edward J. Jennings, P.A. can help make the process easier. He can also guide you through post-divorce matters to help you get a fresh start. Schedule a consultation today by calling 954-764-4330 or filling out the online form.
Resource:
huffpost.com/entry/enough-with-divorce-shame_b_6799842
https://www.ejj-law.com/pros-and-cons-of-mediation-in-divorce/
