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Post-Divorce Life: A Complete Guide to Thriving After Separation

May 28, 20257 min read

Going through a divorce can leave you feeling like your whole world has turned upside down. But here’s the thing: your life after divorce doesn’t have to be about just getting by—it can be about truly thriving. At Rebuilders International, we’ve walked alongside thousands of people as they rebuild their lives, and we’re here to help you find your footing too. This guide is all about helping you embrace life post divorce, with practical tips, emotional support, and real steps to create a successful life after divorce. Whether you’re wondering about things to do after divorce or just need a little encouragement, we’ve got you covered with Rebuilders’ proven approach to recovery.

What Does Life After Divorce Really Look Like?

Divorce might feel like an ending, but it’s also a fresh start. Life after divorce is your chance to figure out who you are now, set new goals, and build a life that feels right for you. You might be feeling a mix of things right now—maybe you’re sad, relieved, or even a little excited about what’s next. That’s all totally normal. A 2023 study from the American Psychological Association found that 68% of people felt hopeful about their future within two years of their divorce, especially when they had the right support.

At Rebuilders, we focus on helping you heal emotionally, plan practically, and connect with a community that gets it. Whether you’re in your 20s, 40s, or beyond, your post-divorce life can be whatever you want it to be. Let’s break down the key areas to focus on as you rebuild.

Healing Emotionally: Finding Your Strength Again

Working Through Your Feelings

Divorce can bring up a lot of emotions, and it’s okay to feel them all. Whether you’re dealing with sadness, anger, or loneliness, giving yourself space to process is so important. At Rebuilders, we encourage a step-by-step approach to healing. One of our favorite tools is a simple daily check-in: take a moment each day to name three feelings you’re experiencing, then think of one small thing—like a walk or a call with a friend—that might help you feel better. Over time, this can make a big difference.

Rediscovering Who You Are

After a divorce, you might feel like you’ve lost a part of yourself. But this is also a chance to reconnect with what makes you, you. What do you love to do? What dreams have you put on hold? At Rebuilders, we use guided exercises to help you rediscover your passions and set goals that excite you. It’s all about building a successful life after divorce that feels true to who you are now.

Want to take a step toward healing? Join our Virtual (Zoom) Classes starting every 2-3 weeks to connect with others and get expert support from Rebuilders.

Leaning on Your People

Having a support system can make all the difference in post-divorce life. Whether it’s friends, family, or a community of people who understand what you’re going through, you don’t have to do this alone. Rebuilders offers support groups—both online and in-person—to help you connect with others. Our Every Tuesday Night Support Group is just $47/year and a great way to find encouragement and share your story.

Curious about dating again? Check out our upcoming guide, Dating After Separation, for tips on stepping back into the dating world.

Practical Steps to Start Fresh

Setting Goals That Feel Exciting

One of the best things to do after divorce is to dream up some new goals. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try a new hobby, switch careers, or take a trip somewhere special. At Rebuilders, we love using a “Vision Mapping” exercise to help you get clear on what you want. Grab a notebook and jot down a few things you’d love to achieve in the next year—then break them into small, doable steps.

Getting Your Finances in Order

Money can feel stressful after a divorce, but you can take control with a little planning. Start by making a simple budget, looking at what you have, and thinking about your future needs. Rebuilders has tools like budgeting templates in our Rebuilders Workbook (just $14.99) to help you feel more secure as you rebuild.

If you’re starting over later in life, our guide on Starting Over After Divorce at 40 has practical advice just for you.

Building a Routine That Works for You

A daily routine can help you feel grounded during life post divorce. Try adding in small habits that make you feel good—like a quick morning stretch, a healthy meal, or some quiet time to reflect. Rebuilders suggests starting with just one or two things, like a 10-minute walk each day, to build a routine that sticks.

Ready to create a routine that supports your life after divorce? Our Self-Paced eCourse lets you start today and go at your own pace—perfect for busy schedules.

Rebuilding Your Social Life

Strengthening Relationships

Life after divorce often means your relationships shift. Some friendships might fade, while others grow stronger. Focus on the people who lift you up, and don’t be afraid to make new connections. Rebuilders’ community programs, like our New Friends Divorce Support Hub (free to join), are a great place to meet others who understand what you’re going through.

Women looking to rebuild socially can find more tips in Life After Divorce for Women.

Dipping Your Toe into Dating

Thinking about dating again after divorce can feel a little scary, but it can also be exciting. At Rebuilders, we encourage you to take your time and focus on feeling good about yourself first. When you’re ready, set some boundaries, be clear about what you want, and approach dating with an open mind.

Need help getting back into dating? Our Private Coaching offers 1:1 support with an expert divorce coach to help you feel confident and ready.

Finding Joy in Community

Getting involved in your community—whether that’s volunteering, joining a club, or attending events—can help you feel connected. Rebuilders’ support groups are a great way to meet people who get it, and they can be a big part of building a happy life after divorce.

Internal Link Placeholder: Want to focus on finding joy? Our guide on Happy Life After Divorce has more ideas to help you thrive.

Tackling Common Challenges

Handling Loneliness

Feeling lonely after a divorce is something a lot of people go through. Try to stay active, pick up a hobby you love, or reach out to someone you trust. Rebuilders has mindfulness exercises in our Rebuilders Workbook to help you find peace in your own company.

Co-Parenting with Confidence

If you have kids, co-parenting is a big part of post-divorce life. Focus on keeping things open and honest with your ex, and always put your kids first. Rebuilders offers strategies to help you create a stable, loving environment for your family.

Keeping Stress in Check

Divorce can bring a lot of stress, but there are ways to manage it. Things like deep breathing, a quick workout, or even chatting with a friend can help. Rebuilders’ “Stress Reset Plan” includes easy daily habits to help you feel calmer—like taking five minutes to breathe deeply when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

How Rebuilders Helps You Thrive

At Rebuilders International, we’re all about helping you create a successful life after divorce. Our approach includes:

  • Healing Support: Step-by-step exercises to work through your emotions and rebuild your confidence.

  • Practical Resources: Tools like our Rebuilders Workbook and budgeting templates to help you plan.

  • A Caring Community: Support groups and classes to connect you with others, like our In-Person (Local) Classes starting every three months.

We’re here to help you turn challenges into opportunities for growth, so you can step into life after divorce with hope and clarity.

Your Next Steps to a Brighter Future

Life after divorce is all about rediscovering yourself, finding your strength, and building a life that makes you happy. With a focus on healing, planning, and connecting with others, you can create a post-divorce life that’s even better than you imagined. Rebuilders International is here to support you every step of the way.

Ready to start rebuilding? Take our free Emotional Survey to get a personalized roadmap for your recovery, or listen to the Rebuilders Podcast for more inspiration. Join the Rebuilders community today and let’s build your happy life after divorce together.

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Kevin Van Liere

Divorce Coach, CEO of Rebuilders International

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Divorce Support & Recovery

Welcome to the #1 most comprehensive divorce recovery program in the world.

Does the Rebuilders

System Really Work?

Below you’ll see that the Rebuilders International system really works, why it is unique, and what we do. We will let this information stand for itself! And yes, of course results will vary but with only a few hours a week you can have a life changing experience.

The Rebuilders Background:

40 Years Of Changing People's Lives.

Meet Dr. Bruce Fisher

The founder of the Rebuilders program was Dr. Bruce Fisher (1931-1998). He was born in Iowa but spent most of his adult life in Boulder, Colorado. He was a popular divorce therapist, author, teach and a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. As he worked with clients dealing with divorce he realized that traditional therapy didn’t work efficiently.

He began working with his clients in groups and eventually found that there are 19 “steps” that people must work through to effectively “Rebuild” their lives. From this work he wrote the book “Rebuilding When Your Relationship Ends.” We still use this book as a reference in our classes. Since he wrote the book over 30 years ago we have learned a lot and the program has evolved considerably. Now we find that there are more “steps” and that there are some elements that Dr. Fisher wasn’t aware of or misunderstood. However, he still created a powerful foundation for the program that we run today.

See The Data...

"I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to have taken this journey with you and the class. It’s been very mind blowing and a real eye opener. It changed my life."

Mike

How our program works...

Head

Your thinking, mindset, beliefs, and values all influence how you respond to the traumatic experience of divorce. We show you how to step outside of the rumination about the past. Learn to step outside of the normal traps that keep people stuck thinking about the past.

Heart

Many people suppress, depress, or repress their feelings. Divorce brings so many “difficult” feelings. We give you tools to work through them, use them, and feel the “good” feelings again -like HAPPINESS, JOY, AND LOVE.

Identity

In marriages people “lose” themselves. When the marriage ends they don’t know who they are as a single person. We help you connect with yourself so that you can be comfortable being alone in your own skin.

The Program Works Regardless of Your Situation!

Considering Divorce?

Learn what you can do find the best path forward

It is a very difficult time in your life when you are facing the possibility of divorce. We offer a wide variety of tools, information and personal coaching to help you.

In the Divorce Process?

Divorce Resources – Support for All Stages of Divorce

When you are dealing with divorce there is a lot going on. There are legal issues, financial issues, emotional issues, parenting issues and more. When faced with all of these pressures we see that people that pay attention to the emotional effect of divorce are better able to navigate everything else much better.

Divorced?

The Papers are signed...

Whether you are recently divorced or it has been years, the wounds from divorce are real. Time does not heal all wounds, it just scabs over them. So if you are ready to learn more about what you can do to HEAL then click below.

Get guidance on how to best recover during this very challenging time in your life.

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