January is a month of intensity for many persons in Texas and elsewhere. It is the time when people who have dissatisfying marriages try to decide whether to go forward with a divorce. Family law lawyers agree that there is a decided spike in consultations in January, which is followed by an increase in actual divorce filings by March.
There are many reasons suggested for this annual pattern. The holidays tend to have a holding effect that restricts the individual from taking bold steps during the holidays. Afterwards, the self-restraints are lifted and a new attitude takes place. It is the idea that January marks a new year and a new beginning in life.
Armed with that idea, the individual finds the courage to do what he or she could not previously accomplish. At the same time, for many people the thought that life is short becomes more prominent, giving one a sense of the need to change one’s path and life experiences. For some persons, these thought processes brew an essence similar to a power drink, giving them a good dose of the stamina that they have been hoping to find within themselves. With the tax filings being done usually in January, the final action of divorce can go forward with that detail already processed.
In Texas, some people also get bonuses at the end of the year, which helps to finance the divorce proceedings, if nothing else. However, experts caution to not take major transformational steps if one is feeling down and out. Decisions to seek a marital breakup will be best handled when one feels centered and informed, with a positive perspective on the reasons for the action taken. If a person is so moved, the best place to start is with a consultation with a family law attorney who is experienced in divorce matters.
Source: CNN, “In January, ‘ex’ marks the spot“, Sarah LeTrent, Jan. 9, 2017