Sharon Numerow is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and the founder of Alberta Divorce Finances, a company that helps Calgarians navigate the financial aspects of divorce. With extensive experience working with couples, Sharon has gained insights into not only the financial but also the psychological aspects of divorce, as reported by calgarynka.
How to Enjoy Time Alone
According to Sharon, many women in Calgary face the fear of living alone after divorce. This fear often drives them into new relationships prematurely, before achieving financial or emotional independence. However, a happy life alone after divorce is not only possible but also necessary.
Sharon’s first piece of advice is to find a way to be happy again. It’s perfectly normal to focus on feelings like regret, disappointment, or despair for a while, but it’s essential to find the strength to move forward.
Sharon also emphasizes the importance of learning to love oneself again. Many people lose their sense of identity in marriage, forgetting their own needs and preferences while focusing solely on their partner. Taking time to rediscover oneself, recognize strengths, and acquire new skills is crucial.
Another important tip is to manage stress independently. Single mothers, for example, often struggle to balance different aspects of life—career, family, health, and more. Learning to respond to challenges without being overwhelmed by stress is vital.
Budgeting is another critical factor. Women who have never managed money on their own may benefit from professional guidance to effectively handle their finances.
Staying active and engaged is essential, especially in the initial period after a divorce. Overcoming apathy, fear of the unknown, and other anxieties requires effort. Simple steps like leaving the house and making small plans can pave the way to a new life. A hobby or travel can help reset the mind. Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends, acquaintances, or colleagues; many of them will offer joint activities to lift your spirits. If someone has experienced divorce themselves, seeking their advice could be one of the best decisions.
Ultimately, it’s important to learn to love being alone. At first, post-divorce life may induce panic, and that’s a normal reaction. However, without addressing the emotional aspects of separation, achieving happiness and living fully is impossible. Numerow suggests simple activities like watching a movie, taking a walk, reading a book, or gardening—anything that brings joy and peace of mind. Once a person feels comfortable being alone, they can confidently and proudly navigate life, regardless of their relationship status.
How to Manage Finances
In Calgary, as in the rest of Alberta, grounds for filing for divorce include abuse, verbal insults, alcoholism, and excessive drug use. A 2011 study by the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family revealed that in two-thirds of cases, women initiated divorce. The average age of couples at the time of divorce was 40 years.
Since not all couples separate amicably, it’s important to take charge of your financial situation—ideally before initiating divorce proceedings.
In her company blog, Sharon advises collecting all necessary financial documents and their copies early on. These documents are essential for determining how to divide the couple’s assets. They include tax returns, bank statements, payment receipts, investment account statements, and mortgage documents.
Creating a list of personal assets and debts, closing joint accounts with the partner, updating beneficiary information, and notifying the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) about the divorce to update financial records are also critical steps.