Unfortunately, not all relationships are able to stand the test of time; often even after partners promise to have and to hold each other until the end of their days.
This redditor, too, found himself at the brink of divorce. After overhearing about his wife’s plans to end their relationship, he decided to beat her to it, which wasn’t well-received by his now soon-to-be ex-wife. Scroll down to find the full story in his words below to see why.
Unfortunately, many relationships fail to stand the test of time
Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)
This man, a dad of two, decided to end his marriage before his wife beat him to it
Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Shoddy-Armadillo-312
Many couples decide to go their separate ways over time, but many of them find love again, too
Saying “I do” usually entails promising your partner to love them and to stay by their side through thick and thin: “til death do you part.” However, no one knows what the future holds, and sometimes, even the strongest of relationships will crumble eventually.
Some studies suggest that as many as 41% of first marriages end in divorce, and there can be hundreds of different reasons why, some more dramatic than others. Research found that the most commonly reported major contributors to people going their separate ways are lack of commitment, infidelity, and conflict or arguing, while the most prevalent “final straw” moments reportedly entail infidelity, domestic violence, and substance use.
In the OP’s case, the reasons why his wife wanted a divorce weren’t clear; all he shared with fellow redditors was that his now soon-to-be ex-wife wanted out of the marriage as soon as she made a change in her career.
Taking certain actions can make it easier to cope with significant changes in life
Even a change in one’s career can require quite some time adjusting to, not to mention going through something as life-changing as a divorce. But many divorced people find love for the second or the third time, sometimes even more times after that. According to a Pew Research Center’s study, as of 2013, close to a third (29%) of previously married adults aged 18 to 24 had remarried, and roughly two-thirds (67%) of people aged 55 to 64 had said “I do” for the second time.
While there are certain changes in life—for better or worse—we have no control over, we can control the way we react to them or behave when they occur. Talking about ways to cope with big changes in life in a piece for Psychology Today, the best-selling author and therapist, Dr. Stephanie A. Sarkis, suggested taking ten steps to make the transition easier:
- Acknowledging that things are changing,
- Realizing that even good change can cause stress,
- Keeping up your regular schedule as much as possible,
- Trying to eat as healthily as possible,
- Exercising,
- Seeking support,
- Writing down the positives that have come from this change,
- Getting proactive by figuring out what steps you need to take before something happens,
- Venting (to a certain point),
- Backing away from social media.
While coping with big changes in life usually takes time, taking certain measures can help make it easier—even if just a little bit—be it a change in one’s career or relationship.
The dad answered some of the netizens’ comments, providing more details
Many people didn’t think the man was a jerk in the situation
Some, however, shared a different opinion
