But if you’re dreading your divorce, you may find solace in new research published in Economica. Ten thousand people reported their happiness every year for 18 years (talk about a long-term project). Since researchers also had information about these people’s major life events (marriage, divorce, and so on), they were able to conclude that people were significantly happier after divorce than they were before. “Divorce, when it happens, is a bad moment, but people move back to their baseline happiness (how happy they were before their marriage took a turn for the worse) very quickly,” says Andrew Clark, PhD, professor at the Paris School of Economics, and author of the study, adding, “divorce seems to be a great idea!” Kidding aside: “That’s not to say that we should all divorce, but a divorce that works is certainly better than a marriage that does not,” says Clark. Wise words. Though dissolving your marriage may seem scary and daunting in the moment, if it’s truly the right decision for you and your marriage, you may be happier in the long run. More From Prevention: How To Prevent An Ugly Divorce
