Imagine that you and your spouse share several children together and own your white-picket-fence home. Your children are doing great in private schools and you and your spouse have a fat 401(k) account to make your transition into early retirement as easy as possible.
Your marriage and family look perfect on paper — and your friends might think you’ve got it made — but there’s a dark underbelly to the relationship of which only you are keenly aware. Unfortunately, you’re beginning to realize that for your health, emotional sanity and the best interests of your children, it’s time to dissolve your marriage through divorce.
3 deal-breakers that end even the best marriages
If you identify closely with the above description, chances are that you are experiencing one of the following three marriage deal-breakers:
Unfaithfulness – Marriage is a commitment of faithfulness to one person. Simply put, this means that you and your spouse will not engage in sexual contact with others. The exclusivity of marriage also applies to emotional intimacy. Your spouse should be your primary confidant. When one or the other spouse breaks this contract, it’s time to reevaluate the marriage.
Will you forgive your spouse for his or her infidelity? Can you repair trust and continue living with one another? Depending on your perspective and philosophy toward life, you might be willing to continue with your spouse — or you might not. Either way, issues relating to marital infidelity may be a breaking point in any marriage.
Substance Abuse – Whether it’s pills, alcohol, marijuana or some other drug, when one spouse has an addiction problem, it can wreak havoc on the relationship. When someone is high, he or she can’t be emotionally available. Your spouse might even become violent or be a financial drain on the family. If your spouse is suffering from an addiction, you don’t have to continue living in this kind of toxic environment. It’s your right and duty to protect you and your children from a spouse with an addiction problem.
Growing apart – Many spouses discover that they are incompatible with one another over time. Perhaps one spouse is religious and the other is not. Maybe they simply have different interests — one spouse likes to stay at home and watch movies but the other spouse likes to go out dancing on Saturday nights. It’s not uncommon for spouses to realize that they’re so different that they don’t have enough common ground to relate to one another or enjoy each other’s company.
Is it time to end your marriage?
If you’re ready to end your marriage, it’s not necessary to pinpoint an exact reason. Simply wanting to get a divorce is enough reason to bring your marriage to a close. Those who have come to this decision, regardless of the reason, may want to take steps to ensure that their divorces move forward peacefully, respectfully and as economically as possible.