Navigating Divorce in the New Year: How to Protect Your Boundaries, Energy, and Well-Being…One Decision at a Time
By Jennifer Perri - Divorce and Empowerment Coach
A new year has a way of turning up the volume.
Everyone’s talking about fresh starts, big goals, and moving forward.
And if you’re navigating divorce, it can feel like you’re already behind before January even gets going.
Divorce doesn’t care what month it is.
And healing doesn’t speed up just because the calendar changed.
This year isn’t about doing divorce perfectly.
It’s about doing it intentionally, without abandoning yourself along the way.
Here are 5 tips on how to move through the new year in a way that actually supports you.
→ Stop Forcing Yourself to “Be Ready”
January loves momentum.
Divorce requires honesty.
You don’t need clarity, closure, or a fully formed plan right now.
You need space to breathe and permission to be where you are.
Do this today:
Notice one place where you’re rushing yourself—emotionally, financially, or logistically.
Pause. Ask, “What would it look like to slow this down just a little?”
Healing moves faster when you stop trying to outrun it.
→ Set Boundaries You Can Actually Keep
Boundaries during divorce will disappoint people.
That doesn’t mean they’re wrong.
They exist to protect your nervous system when everything already feels fragile.
This includes boundaries with:
Your ex
Family members who have opinions
Friends who want updates you’re not ready to give
Do this:
Write down three situations that consistently leave you drained.
For each one, decide what you’re no longer available for- and what you are protecting.
Clear boundaries are easier to hold than emotional ones.
→ Stop Explaining Yourself to Everyone
Divorce has a way of turning women into spokespeople for their own pain.
Why now.
Why this way.
Why you didn’t try harder.
You don’t owe people your emotional labor.
Practice this sentence:
“This is what’s best for me right now.”
Say it once.
Resist the urge to justify it.
Let the silence do the work.
That’s you choosing yourself in real time.
→ Be Selective About Who You Lean On
Not everyone who loves you knows how to support you through divorce.
Some people rush you.
Some minimize.
Some unintentionally make it about them.
You need support that helps you feel steadier-not smaller.
Check in with yourself:
After you talk to someone, do you feel calmer or more unsettled?
Clearer or more confused?
Let that guide who you share your energy with.
→ Make Your Well-Being a Daily Decision
Divorce quietly pushes women into survival mode.
Get through the day.
Handle the logistics.
Ignore how you feel.
But survival isn’t sustainable.
This year, your well-being needs to show up in small, consistent ways:
Eating regularly
Sleeping when you can
Moving your body to support it—not punish it
Allowing yourself to feel without judgment
Do this:
Choose one daily non-negotiable that supports your nervous system.
Put it on your calendar. Treat it like an appointment- because you are the priority.
One Last Thing
You don’t need to be unbreakable.
You don’t need perfect clarity.
You don’t need to force the timeline.
You need to stay in the room with yourself while everything else rearranges.
That decision—made again and again— is where real stability is built.
And whether you realize it yet or not, you’re already strong enough to do that.
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Jennifer Perri helps women navigate divorce without losing themselves in the process. As a Divorce & Empowerment Coach with deep financial expertise, she guides women to make clear, confident decisions when it matters most- and to build a life that doesn’t require anyone else’s approval.