A gray divorce in Florida and across the nation occurs between couples who are over the age of 50. The Tampa Bay Newswire reports that one out of every three spouses that get divorced in Florida is over 50 years old. Divorce is never easy, but there are steps you can take to move on after a gray divorce.
Maintain your health
No matter your age, divorce can take a toll on your health. But older adults often have health issues that don’t affect younger people. For instance, you might take medications for high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Following your gray divorce, keep up with doctor’s appointments and medications. It also helps to prioritize your mental health and start or maintain an exercise routine.
Create boundaries with your adult children
Children are affected when their parents divorce. It doesn’t matter if the children are younger than 18 or full-grown adults. However, an adult child will respond differently to your divorce than a young child would.
When you have adult children, they might overstep their bounds concerning the divorce. For example, they might make inappropriate comments about the situation, try to control your personal life or demand to know things about your finances.
Your children are still your children, even if they’re adults. They should respect your position as their parent. Let them know you appreciate the concern but that they can’t tell you how to live your life.
Get a hobby
Your social situation will likely change following your divorce. You might lose friends and social connections you built with your former spouse. This has the potential to cause depression and isolation.
Find a new hobby or activity to help you rebuild your social life. An activity or hobby will keep you from ruminating about the divorce. It will also allow you to meet new people or exercise your mind by learning something new.
Moving on from a divorce when you’re 50 or older may feel overwhelming. While it may seem impossible, you can start over and build a new life for yourself.