Considering all that you have been through during your marriage and divorce, nobody should deny you the opportunity to pursue happiness in your post-divorce life. You have the right to enjoy your new situation to its fullest, and, for many, that may mean starting a new romantic relationship. Casual dating and even a new, serious love interest can be very beneficial for your health and self-esteem following a divorce, but there are some things to keep in mind, especially if you have children.

It May Take Time

While you may have the freedom to pursue dating relationships after your divorce, you may not be ready for it immediately. This, of course, depends on what type of dating you are considering and your own emotional health. If you are ready to casually meet people for dinner and drinks on occasion, you probably have nothing to worry about. If you move directly from your marriage into another long-term serious relationship, you may want to give it a second thought, as you may not have healed yet from psychological impact that is usually inherent in divorce.

Although plenty of research and countless Hollywood movies have explored the negative aspects of divorce, there may be benefits to being divorced. If the decision is right for you, you might experience some of these benefits after deciding to move forward with the divorce process. Despite your struggles and efforts to save your marriage, you may find your post-divorce life offers more than you realized.

Being Happier

During and after your divorce, you will certainly experience a range of emotions , but taking this step can actually lead to greater long term happiness. Recent research from Kingston University in London found that women reported higher levels of personal happiness for up to five years after the end of the marriages. The pressure of frequent arguing or the emotional burden of a deteriorating relationship can be devastating to personal happiness, and divorce may help facilitate a brighter future.

The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor did a study and found that about 115,000 women lose their health insurance every year due to divorce. Unfortunately, this is not usually remedied quicklly; the overall rates of health insurance coverage for women after a divorce  remains low for two or more years.

The lead author of the study is Bridget Lavelle, a University Ph.D. candidate in public policy and sociology; she claims that the loss of health insurance is a huge deal because it most often is concurrent with the loss of a husband. The study analyzes data from across the nation from 1966 through 2007 on women between the ages of 26 to 64. Lavelle conducted the study with U-M sociologist Pamela Smock, and the research was supported by the U-M National Poverty Center.

The study also found: