Going through a divorce can wreak havoc on your emotional health. Prioritizing your needs and processing your emotions can help you stay optimistic, as well as strengthen your ability to bounce back from disappointment.

Emotional resilience requires time and consistency to develop. When you understand which behaviors will increase your emotional resilience, you can approach your divorce with the confidence that you will come out a stronger and better version of yourself.

Prioritizing emotional processing

Burying your emotions may seem like a productive way to handle your situation right now, but can cause angst, confusion and exhaustion after some time. Divorce has a way of surfacing all kinds of deep and difficult emotions that require timely processing so you can move on with your life. Psychology Today suggests some helpful ways to process your emotions including the following:

• Join a support group and participate in group discussions about divorce
• Work with a therapist to understand your emotions, identify triggers and learn healthy coping mechanisms
• Meditate and set aside time to think and process without interruptions and distractions
• Rely on your family and friends for emotional support
• Write your thoughts in a journal
• Find a hobby or something that allows you to express your emotions creatively

Creating your future

There is no better time than now to think about your future. While challenging, divorce may open the door to new opportunities. Think about what you want out of life and set some new goals. Decide how you will accomplish your goals and what you will do to celebrate your success along the way. Share your dreams of the future with others for added encouragement and accountability.