It is not uncommon for one spouse to want a divorce when the other does not. There are often valid reasons for not wanting to end the marriage. Perhaps you still love the person, maybe you think you can change their mind, or perhaps you are scared of being alone.
Yet, if your spouse wants a divorce, they will get it in the end, whether you like it or not. So, the best option is not — as some people might think — to do everything you can to obstruct the divorce but to make it as simple as possible for everyone involved.
To get a divorce, your spouse needs to tell the court your marriage is irretrievably broken. You might disagree, but that is proof in itself that your and your spouse’s point of view on the marriage are irreconcilable.
Why give in and make it easy for them?
You might feel you can get revenge on your spouse by making the whole divorce process difficult. Yet it is not just your spouse’s life you will make problematic, but yours, your children’s and anyone else that deals with both of you.
The sooner you can sort things out, the sooner you can end the marriage and start to rebuild your life. You will have to do it at some point, and delaying will only extend the agony.
That does not mean you should roll over and give your spouse exactly what they want in the divorce settlement. You have specific legal rights, as do they.
Getting help to understand them should be your first step once your spouse announces they are filing for a divorce. When both parties clearly understand matters such as property division and child custody, it can help reduce the needless battles that many couples engage in due to each side setting impossible goals.