It is different for everyone. My ex and I separated two years ago, papers were filed July 2012 and things finalized last month. The first year was awful. I spend a lot of time in therapy and working with my psych - mood disorder. It is a lot better, but when it was finalized I felt a wash of emotions hit me again.

It has taken a long time. Take the time to be selfish and really work on yourself. Try and get new friends. I lost friends through my divorce. I am working on the things I don't like about myself and what my ex didn't like. We are amicable for our kids, but I don't ask him about his personal life and he doesn't ask me about mine. Communicate only on a need to know basis and it will help so much. Take it one day at a time. Months down the road you will look back and say, "Wow, look how far I have come."

Happiness is not an arrival at something grand. Happiness is finding little bits of joy in each day, whatever it is. For me sometimes it is just a can of Diet Pepsi.