Divorce = Uncomfortable Change

“We are getting a divorce.” Did you really just say that out loud?

There are no “top 10” lists or spiritually enlightened comments that I can offer to calm the tsunami of emotion and mental gymnastics that are now flooding your body and brain. For some, it is the shattering of how one defined oneself, for others it is the fear of being alone, or the fear of being financially challenged, or not being able to parent the same way. For many it is dominated by rage and betrayal, and in some cases, it brings a feeling of profound relief and liberation. No matter what the situation, it is for everyone, uncomfortable change.

I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. So here is the enlightened comment I can offer, life happens. No matter how hard we try, we can’t seem to stop it from happening. Whether it is cancer, a life-changing accident, a business failure, or even a natural disaster, significant life transitions, like divorce, happen. It happens to family, to neighbors, to colleagues, to your boss, to your child’s school teacher, to your bus driver, to so many people. It happens. The problem is, you definitely never thought it would happen to you. So, now what?

As a major life transition comprised of emotional layers, a complex business transaction and an entirely new family dynamic, the weight of it collapses us. From day one of just thinking about it to many months or even years later when it has been completed, it is a painful process of change to absolutely everything that was. 

Some people are wired to embrace change and thrive with it. Others are thrown into a complete tailspin because stability supports and protects them. The key to divorce, and likely a factor that contributes to the chaos and systemic failure, is that it is different for everyone. The mindset, the facts, the emotional impact, the family situation -everyone has a different experience and a different reaction and response. But for everyone it represents change.

Divorce professionals can be unintentionally insensitive to the anxiety we feel around change. They will casually toss around the fact that you’ll sell the house or a parenting schedule where you don’t get to take the kids to school activities, or the fact that you have to go back to work full-time. Whatever the scenario, it is the profound and sometimes psychologically debilitating change that is being forced upon you due to circumstances beyond your control. For many, this is the essence of divorce - the emotional response to the upheaval and uncertainty and endlessly uncomfortable change.

So, how to embrace change? Divorce brings grief over a significant ending, but it can also represent new beginnings and hope. Even the smallest step forward each day is a step toward establishing new routines. It is a chance to redirect our day with a new approach to time and schedule, open new doors, create new relationships and re-define the parts of us that may have been set aside in a marriage. It is important to acknowledge and work through the grief and any resistance to change, which for some might be through work with a mental health professional, reaching out to friends and family for deeper connection, or indulging in an activity or interest you haven't been able to pursue. In a divorce, many people spend a lot of time looking backward, but it is essential to also look forward. The changes brought on by divorce are undoubtedly uncomfortable but as a hopeful optimist, I believe in the transformation of uncomfortable change to unimaginable happiness for the long-term.

Are you thinking about divorce?

dtour.life is a divorce management platform to help you along the way. With divorce education, financial and parenting tools, our platform helps you prepare for this journey and work closely with any divorce professional you hire by allowing you to securely and seamlessly share case documentation. Calculate your net worth , living and child expenses, budgets, and settlement scenarios to help you move forward with both eyes open. You are not alone!

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By Storey JonesFounder & CEO

In her third career and with almost twenty years of experience in the divorce industry, Storey is leading the effort to change the way couples think about and participate in the divorce process. Storey believes that to fully redefine this life transition, fundamental change must occur for both the families going through it and the divorce professionals who guide them. Armed with this mission, she built dtour.life, the first digital infrastructure platform to facilitate the divorce process for everyone involved. Technology innovation brings greater access to justice, empowerment and cost-savings for families and new functionality for professionals to more efficiently provide their strategic and procedural expertise.

Prior to founding her San Francisco Bay Area divorce consultancy, Lemon Tree Advisors, and dtour.life, Storey was president of Addis, a brand strategy and design firm where for 13 years she was integral to its growth and vision. Storey has a B.A. from Colgate University.

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