Mississippi law allows you to get a divorce for almost any reason. However, it’s generally in your best interest to make the split as amicable even if you don’t like or love your partner anymore. Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to end your marriage without a lot of unnecessary stress or drama for yourself and any children you may have.
Be direct
While you don’t need to share all of the reasons for your decision to initiate a divorce, you should be clear about your intentions. If you are not the one who initiated the divorce, it’s important to proceed as if the marriage is going to end. Although it may be tempting to beg or plead for more time to work on the marriage, that won’t serve anyone’s needs. Instead, start compiling a list of records that you’ll need to negotiate a financial settlement or parenting plan.
Take time for yourself
Whether you asked for the divorce or not, it will likely be a stressful process. Taking time for self-care can help you manage your emotions and minimize the risk of a blowup that might put your partner on a defensive footing. At that point, it may be harder to agree on property division or child custody because your spouse will be bargaining from a position of pain.
Consider mediation
Mediation can be an effective tool to facilitate the conversations needed to settle a divorce outside court. A neutral party will work with you and your spouse to overcome your emotions and have frank conversations. In some cases, simply being able to talk about what you want or need moving forward can help repair the emotional wounds a split might cause.
In addition to mediation, a prenuptial agreement may also help you obtain an amicable divorce. This is because the terms of the split will already be in place, which can reduce the chances of arguments or other issues prolonging the divorce process.
