A divorce is not the end – Jennifer Aniston’s new beginnings and post-divorce success…
Most couples who end up in divorce eventually go on to lead their own separate lives. So, it is generally accepted that just because you were once married to someone, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will always be linked to them or defined by the events that occur in their lives. However, the case is different if you’re dubbed as America’s Sweetheart and World’s Sexiest Man.
In 2005, the breakup of Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt was a surprise to many because it seemed like everything was going well for the couple: they had been remodelling their home, Jennifer would be completing her final season on Friends, and it was time to enter a new phase in the marriage by welcoming the prospect of kids. However, it all came to an end when the couple announced they were to divorce. While Jennifer retreated from the public eye to deal with the divorce, Brad generated seemingly endless publicity by stepping out with Angelina Jolie. It soon became obvious that perhaps the divorce wasn’t so mutual.
In fact, it seemed that the divorce was now very much one-sided, with Brad openly pursuing a relationship with Angelina. While Jennifer has admitted in interviews she was shocked to see Brad with another woman so soon after they separated, she was extremely classy and never bad-mouthed Brad, when it would have been all too easy to do.
However, Jennifer did speak out about the double standard and gender stereotypes of women and divorce. Aniston notes that she had planned to start a family but the media publications went on to falsely report that Jennifer was too ambitious to have Pitt’s baby and she only cared about her herself and her career. Jennifer went on to note that she has always been inspired by women who do both – have careers and kids. She never planned to limit herself and it’s disheartening that it’s never said that men are too ambitious.
But here’s what we can learn from Jennifer’s successful reinvention after divorce: your life won’t radically change overnight and that’s because the death of a marriage involves a slow grieving process. It’s important to take the time to process your feelings (whether sad, angry, hurt, betrayed, etc.) but in a constructive manner. Being obsessed with revenge or engaging in vindictive behaviour with your former spouse isn’t helping you to move on. It will only serve to perpetuate what you are feeling and keep you in the dark stages of the grieving process. Rather, try some more productive techniques suggested by experts such as making a radical change to your appearance or working out your emotions in the gym. The time after a divorce is a great time to re-assess and re-invent yourself. Take some time to review your other relationships, your job, your projects or goals you put on hold because you never had the time. Accept that sometimes a relationship fails because of both parties and learn to forgive yourself.
In closing, Jennifer Aniston is a prime example of how divorce is not the end. For Jennifer, her divorce was the beginning of an even more successful career in acting, finding love again with Justin Theroux and leading a happy and fulfilling life. In fact, Jennifer is an example of someone doing better than her ex, even though the media still tries to drag her back into the Brangelina divorce drama 10 years after she and Brad called it quits.
Although sometimes difficult, it is key to maintain a calm attitude during the divorce process and try to avoid vindictive behaviour to each other. This only results in increased legal bills as your solicitor is using their time to advise on behaviour/domestic spats instead of legal issues.
