Today, if you haven’t noticed, is Valentine’s Day. Whether you are the type which fully buys into the holiday is one of love and romance, or whether you are among the group of folks who thinks greeting cards and candy companies created the day to sell boxes of chocolate, it is a day that causes many people to come to terms with the state of their relationship and perhaps do some soul searching in a relationship. Valentine’s Day holds significance for most people in a relationship, whether their marriage is thriving or struggling.

Reflections on Divorce

The idea of divorce causes soul searching for a lot of people. The fact is that it should cause soul searching for everyone married. Divorce is not fun, glamorous, or satisfying. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or is not the type of person you should be taking advice from. From having represented persons going through divorce cases from all walks of life, I can tell you from firsthand experience that divorce rarely gives you any satisfying moments and does not leave you in a better place. A different place, maybe, but from what I have seen, you will not be better for having gone through a divorce.

People go through so much hurt in conjunction with divorce cases because each person who files for divorce determines that the juice is worth the squeeze. The result of the divorce will be worth the effort and hardships that went into making the divorce a reality. If you can only stomach the money spent on the attorney, the time away from your children, your job and your hobbies, and all of the other unpleasant baggage that comes along with a divorce, then the entire process may be worth it to you.

Divorce or Reconciliation

Today I want to reach out to those of you who stand at a fork in the road. One path will lead you towards divorce from your spouse. Unquestionably one of the most challenging decisions you will ever have to make in life is whether or not to get a divorce. With that said, you may also be able to reconcile with your spouse and put any thought of divorce behind both of you. There are no guarantees of future success in marriage. Still, the ability to communicate your problems to your spouse is undoubtedly among those concepts that can help get you and your spouse to a better place in your relationship.

The fact is that divorce is personal to you and your spouse. While seeking advice from friends, co-workers, or blog posts is common, it may not provide the personalized guidance you need. You need to be able to communicate your specific issues to someone who not only is willing to give you their opinion but is also willing to give you that advice from a position of experience.

Considerations for Your Children

This is all is to say nothing about the impact of your divorce on your children. Just because you and your spouse have chosen to end your marriage does not mean your children have that same luxury. The nature of your relationship with your kids may change significantly as a result of your divorce. It could be that your relationship with your children improves due to the divorce, but from my experience, this is not usually the case. On the contrary, many parents going through the hurt associated with divorce find themselves less capable of parenting in the short term due to the hardships inherent in a divorce case.

With all of that said, let’s turn our attention to the matter at hand. You came here to look for advice and perspective on how to approach a potential divorce. Namely, you probably want to know whether you should move forward with the divorce you are contemplating. If your spouse comes to you with a confession that they are thinking about a divorce, how should you react? What can you say to cause them to think twice about moving forward with such a significant change in lifestyle for you and your children?

How to take your marriage from one of unhappiness to one of contentment?

I will say from the outset of today’s blog post that I am not a therapist. I did not go to school to become a counselor, therapist, or anyone in that field of work. However, I am an attorney who has practiced in the field of family law, and I have been able to witness real-life scenarios play out that involve families just like yours. For you and your spouse, marriage has not been easy. While I don’t think many married people would say that marriage is easy, the marriages that are the most successful are the ones that involve two people that are willing to work with one another. They often work very hard for one another to achieve that successful relationship.

Marriage is like putting a ring around you and your spouse. You put a ring on each other’s fingers when you get married, but I am talking about a metaphorical ring that keeps you and your spouse inside for the duration of your marriage. That idea can be great when things are going well and can be the hardest thing in the world to deal with when things are going poorly.

If you are going through a tough time in your marriage, take heart that what you are experiencing throughout a marriage can change if you and your spouse are willing to put in the work. If you all feel that your bond of marriage is loosening, that you are not as close to one another as you once were, take heart in the fact that your marriage keeps you both together hopefully long enough that you all can rediscover the bond that brought you together in the first place. It is hard to get out of a marriage- for better or worse.

Come to an understanding of one another, and you have a great shot at a successful marriage.

What do you want to get out of your marriage? This is the first question that you need to ask yourself before you even approach the subject of your divorce. If you don’t know why you are married, you will have even less idea why you are married to your spouse. From there, you can decide why your spouse was the one you married. Ostensibly these are questions you should have asked yourself before getting married, but if not, better late than never.

Evaluating Your Marriage for the Future

Hopefully, your married life will be a long one, full of mistakes, successes, and every life experience in between. To decide on your spouse based on a few occurrences that may have occurred in a relatively short amount of time is not an excellent way to evaluate a marriage. Instead, I would recommend that you take stock of your marriage and not only what it is today but what it could be in the future.

If you were going through a time of difficulty in your marriage, you should consider whether your spouse is a person who is willing to work with you to improve the quality of your marriage. If they are unwilling to do so, they may decide to move forward with a divorce even easier. Likewise, if you look into your heart and realize that you are unwilling to put forth the effort to improve your marriage through a change in habits or routine, then that is also a sign of a marriage drifting towards a brick wall.

Keys to Successful Marriages

Essentially, if you can understand your spouse, you are much more likely to reach a decision that you and they love one another despite whatever differences you are facing. If you encounter problems associated with marriage, you can take solace that many successful marriages have faced similar issues and difficulties. Often, the only thing that separates divorced couples from successful marriages is this understanding and willingness to overcome those problems.

Marriages are not stagnant. Either they are improving or degrading- one or the other. People talk all the time to me about their marriage being in a rut stuck in neutral. I’ll tell them that if they were to look closer, they would probably see that their marriage has been getting worse rather than staying the same. Marriage can improve, but only if you work at it. I have yet to see a marriage get better over time when the effort is not put into it by at least one spouse- and usually both.

Marriage education courses and therapy

If you decide to get a divorce and live in southeast Texas, you will probably have to go through a parenting course if you have children. This online course is one where you will be shown the basics of conflict resolution, co-parenting, and the possibilities that exist in raising a child with a spouse with whom you are no longer married. Some of the advice is a bit redundant and even silly, but the idea is that you can improve your skills at something (parenting) through meeting with and talking to people who have experience and perspectives that you may be lacking.

For the most part, I believe that if you ask a group of people who had considered getting a divorce at some point in their marriage, the vast majority would tell you that they are happy that they ended up staying married to their spouse. I don’t have any complex data on this, and I have never conducted any surveys based on that question, but this is something that I have observed in my years as a family law attorney.

What about if infidelity is an issue in your marriage? Can your relationship recover?

Unfortunately, infidelity is a problem for many married couples. Social media and the internet, in general, are in play; stepping outside of your marriage to engage in a physical and emotional relationship with another person is now more feasible than ever. If you or your spouse have engaged in an adulterous affair, you must be able to take inventory of your marriage to determine whether it should and can be saved.

Can you forgive your spouse for having broken the bond of trust that had existed? How well will you and your spouse be able to heal after the discovery of the affair? Finally, how will your marriage change as a result of the affair? Are you both willing to make changes to your relationship to see that the desire to step outside of your marriage does not come about again? These are all relevant questions to ask.

Questions about marriage and family law in Texas? Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan

If you have any questions about the material that we shared with you today, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan. Our licensed family law attorneys can schedule a free-of-charge consultation with you six days a week right here in our office. These consultations are an excellent opportunity for you to meet with a licensed family law attorney to learn more about your case, your circumstances, and our office.

Our attorneys and staff take a great deal of pride in representing the families of southeast Texas in courts across our state. We hold fast to the principle that the client’s good outweighs the good to anyone else- ourselves includes. If you desire family law representation that goes beyond the basics, then the Law Office of Bryan Fagan is who you need to be working with.

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Frequently Asked Questions – Soul Searching in Relationships

Can you soul search while in a relationship?

Yes, absolutely! Soul searching in a relationship involves introspection and self-discovery while being committed to your partner. It’s about understanding your own needs, desires, and values, while also nurturing the relationship.

What is the process of soul searching?

Soul searching is a personal journey of self-exploration. It involves reflecting on your emotions, aspirations, and personal growth. In a relationship context, it means being attuned to your feelings, values, and how they align with the partnership.

What does it mean when a guy says he needs to do some soul searching?

When someone mentions needing to do some soul searching, it often implies they are taking time to reflect on their own life, goals, and emotions. In a relationship, it might indicate a desire to understand their feelings and needs more deeply.

Bryan Joseph Fagan( Attorney )

Bryan Fagan, a native of Atascocita, Texas, is a dedicated family law attorney inspired by John Grisham’s “The Pelican Brief.” He is the first lawyer in his family, which includes two adopted brothers. Bryan’s commitment to family is personal and professional; he cared for his grandmother with Alzheimer’s while completing his degree and attended the South Texas College of Law at night.

Married with three children, Bryan’s personal experiences enrich his understanding of family dynamics, which is central to his legal practice. He specializes in family law, offering innovative and efficient legal services. A certified member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, Bryan is part of an elite group of legal professionals committed to ongoing education and high-level expertise.

His legal practice covers divorce, custody disputes, property disputes, adoption, paternity, and mediation. Bryan is also experienced in drafting marital property agreements. He leads a team dedicated to complex family law cases and protecting families from false CPS allegations.

Based in Houston, Bryan is active in the Houston Family Law Sector of the Houston Bar Association and various family law groups in Texas. His deep understanding of family values and his professional dedication make him a compassionate advocate for families navigating Texas family law.