From the moment your divorce is finalized, reality begins to set in. You have to return to your home, where your spouse no longer lives, and begin to pick up the pieces. Life won’t return to the way it was before, but it’s important to remember that there will be a new normal.

The following tips are designed to help you maneuver through the first hours, days and weeks of life after your Tampa divorce is finalized:

Get Up and Make Plans

It’s only natural to feel sad and upset, especially in the immediate aftermath of a divorce. However, the worst thing you can do for yourself and for your family is stay in bed or hole up in your house. The day after your divorce, you need to get up, get out of bed, shower, get dressed and go out to do something. Even if it’s a simple errand or a lunch with a friend, you need to have some structure in those first difficult days.

Remember to Eat and Make Healthy Choices

The first few weeks after your Tampa divorce is not the time to start that new fad diet you keep seeing on social media. Instead, it’s the time to focus on nourishing your body with the best that you can offer it. Eat every meal, and make healthy choices including lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Reach Out for Help

Everyone needs a support network as they are going through a divorce, and that network is particularly vital in the first few weeks after it has been finalized. Whether you connect with family members or friends who understand what you are going through, or you work with an organization in your community to find a few new peers, it’s critical that you find a group of people that you can rely on as you work through the feelings and emotions of your divorce.

Reward Yourself

You are going through a lot, and likely managing a lot of logistics regarding the divorce. Don’t forget to treat yourself in those first few weeks. A trip to the spa, a night out with your girlfriends or an afternoon off of work to relax and read a book are a few ways you can unwind and feel good immediately following your divorce.

Divorce can take its toll on an individual in a variety of ways, including physically, emotionally, financially and even spiritually. When working with a divorce attorney Tampa FL residents trust, be sure to discuss what needs to be included in the process in order to help you feel your best during this traumatic moment in your life. For guidance as you begin to navigate through this significant change, contact our Tampa divorce attorneys today.

Thanks to our friends and contributors from the McKinney Law Group for their insight into divorce.