There are certainly cases where divorce doesn’t even seem like a prospect and then something changes dramatically. Maybe you find out that your spouse was having an affair, for instance, or was involved in illegal activity.
Far more often, though, couples will split up after thinking about it and pondering their options for a long time. They’ll debate what is the right thing to do and consider what they really want in life. They don’t go through this big, dramatic event.
Is this already happening in your relationship?
What this means is that your spouse may already be considering divorce, even if they have never brought it up and nothing has happened to make you think that the relationship is definitely over. If you can see those signs, you can prepare for the divorce as soon as possible. Here are six potential signs to look for:
- They don’t like to talk about their money or how they use it, even though you’re married. Does this lack of openness mean that they’re trying to hide assets from you in anticipation of a divorce?
- They keep secrets, especially with electronic devices. For instance, they never let you use their phone and they refuse to tell you the password to open it.
- They never want to be intimate and they are rarely romantic. You may still feel like friends, but it’s more like being roommates than being in a relationship.
- They stop spending time with you, and it feels like they’re looking for excuses to spend time elsewhere — at the office, with friends, etc.
- They don’t want to talk about minor issues that you’re having. For instance, you get into an argument and they never even want to discuss it. It may be that they’re simply going to leave, so there’s no reason to “fix” anything.
- They start doing research themselves. Maybe you see them reading about divorce tactics online or maybe a friend who already got a divorce starts talking to them a lot on the phone.
If your spouse wants a divorce, you can’t stop it. What you can do is prepare for it. Be sure you know exactly what steps to take.