There’s an old joke:

“Why are divorces so expensive? Because they are worth it.”

But humor can only offer so little comfort to the reality of life after divorce. Sure, you are bound to somebody through the mere fact that you woke up next to a body for an elongated duration of time. But the truth is that life after divorce may be the first time you experience independence for the first time in quite a while, which is scary to a very many people.

Here are 5 things to keep in mind to put your mind at ease when it comes to life after divorce