We have an option to see divorce as a tragedy or an opportunity. We can choose to view the divorce process as a chance for growth and development or as a set-back from which we will not recover for a long time, if ever.

When child-custody is set and part of our reality moving forward, we have the choice to view the time we have available to us as an opportunity to grow in as many ways as possible or not. 

Media representations and social narratives tell us that divorce has to be a time of suffering and prolonged grief. Granted, there are often very difficult and challenging parts of most divorce processes involving child custody issues, but we still have a choice about how we view the entire process and what comes after.  The fact is, we grieve anything as long as we believe we should. At some level, we decide how long we need to grieve any loss, and when we reach that time, we move on.  With divorce, we can decide to view the path ahead as opportunity and set a cutoff for grief.  We can choose to grow, develop ourselves, hone our skills, advance our careers, get clear on our vision, travel, and heal.