by Joelene Seaton, Partner and Accredited Family Law Specialist
Do you ever feel like you are on ‘autopilot’? You know, the feeling of jumping in your car at the end of the day and leaving work only to then find yourself at home without any memory of the trip.
By definition, autopilot is the term used to describe when you undertake an activity that you normally do but without any real conscious involvement. The driving home from work example is a common one. But at the end of each day, do you take the time to appreciate the fact that you arrived home safely? Or do you simply take it for granted?
When it comes to marriages or de facto relationships, particularly longer ones, it’s not uncommon for one or both parties to be on autopilot, so much so that they don’t see the early signs of relationship breakdown. Then when one of the parties decides they no longer want to be in the relationship, the other party feels blindsided. He or she was probably on autopilot and didn’t see it coming.
Change Your Perspective to Find the Positives
There are, unfortunately, few good things that arise out of a broken relationship. You usually have to look very closely and change your perspective to find the positives.
One such positive however, could be the chance to shift out of autopilot and start to take more notice of what’s actually going on around you, and inside of you – increased mindfulness.
The jolt of a separation can be an opportunity not only for reflection – for example looking back on all the things you’ve achieved as a couple – but also for personal growth – for example looking forward to all the things you can achieve as an individual.
Sometimes it takes a heavy downpour to notice that the weeks leading up to it were sunny. We don’t always notice how well we’ve been feeling until we are afflicted with an illness. A Covid-19 lockdown might remind us how much we appreciate the freedom to catch up with friends in person, and hug our relatives.
Every cloud has a silver lining – in the chaos and conflict of your separation, don’t forget to look for the silver lining.
Going through a separation? Let MBA Lawyers Family Law team help you through this time with the best legal representation on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane.