There isn’t much help available to help men get through a divorce. With the negative stigma society places on men for showing their emotions, we tend to try to figure things out on our own. This can be a long and painful process. Many times we are alone in the classification of our own feelings and we can have difficulties to understand them.
One major emotion that can make divorce difficult for men is anxiety. Anxiety can hit us hard due to the uncertainty of the outcome of our separation or divorce. Anxiety and worry go hand in hand and the uncertainty of our social, economic and family future becomes a concern.
Looking back, I can remember three activities that greatly improved my recovery and my ability to handle everything that came my way, including the anxiety of getting through a divorce. For men, it is not easy to think or even think that others are thinking that we can be weak because of these emotions. But it is necessary to overcome these fears to achieve the recovery you want and need.
Meditation
Not all men will embrace the idea of meditation, but those who do may have a new and refreshed way of looking at life again. It takes practice to meditate and you can build your ability to enhance the benefits over time.
Even if you only have five minutes, do it. Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and breathe. I usually count to 8 by inhaling through my nose and then out through my mouth while also counting to 8. I count to keep my mind from wandering elsewhere. Being careful not to hyperventilate, repeat this process and just clear your mind and relax.
Using meditation to treat anxiety will open the door for you to see all the possibilities and different areas of life where you can apply the practice. Combined with breathing techniques, it will facilitate your ability to handle a great deal of stress and pressure.
light exercise
I started enjoying the benefits of light exercise from the beginning of my divorce. Completely by accident, I found a break away from everything that seemed to fill my thoughts. Taking short walks taught me to take time for myself. Even a little exercise will do you a lot of good. These short walks gave me the opportunity to collect all the thoughts that were going through my head during the day.
Leave the cell phone off, put on some headphones and walk. This will not only help you clear your head, but it is an outlet for any physical anxiety you may be feeling. The kind that would keep me pacing the living room floor for hours.
Even better, take a yoga class. It just gets you out of the house and around other people, it’s a low-impact workout with a lot of qualities, and it goes well with meditation for a mind-body recovery process.
selfish time
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from going through a divorce, it’s all work and no play will make you feel very lonely. Find something you can do for yourself and start now! If you’re like me, you have a lot of free time, now that you’re on your own. One of the best things you can do with that time right now is to focus on you. Find a hobby that can take your mind off what’s going on and allow you to relax. It may take some time to find it, but keep looking. Sometimes the journey can be more fun than the destination. Just make sure it’s yours and not someone else’s. Otherwise, it will not be beneficial and it will feel fake.
Taking time for yourself is essential. For stressful situations like getting over a divorce, these suggestions can provide you with needed encouragement and an outlet for any anxiety you may be feeling.
