The world is full of resources where possible outcomes can be rehashed and researched. Talk to other newlyweds and divorcees. Check out parenting TV shows, books and message boards.

Don’t be afraid to use your personal resources. If a friend or neighbor has gone through something similar, talk to that person. There’s no substitute for having been there.

Once you understand what kinds of consequences you’re facing, it’s much easier to prepare for them.

Planning Your Actions

Your obstacle may not be as big as Dylan’s, complete with a total change in finances, home and primary business, but you may still be unsure of the changes about to happen. It’s okay to be nervous. It’s also okay to be anxious, or sad to see your life take a different direction.

Now that you know what’s ahead, you can devise a plan on how to handle the possible results. You might need back ups to your back ups, and a system ready to abandon your decision should things get too intense. Having those measures in place will help you feel more self-confident. You’ll know you will be able to deal with whatever comes up.

Right before your big move, you might try a short series of confidence boosting decisions that prove your abilities to yourself. If you’re planning a total kitchen renovation, you may want to re-stain various pieces around your house. If you’re planning on going back to school, you might want to attend a few workshops first.

Celebrate in Advance

Don’t celebrate your success before it happens – you can’t count those chickens before they hatch – but you can feel proud of your work thus far. The courage it took to get to this point will affect all of your goals from now on. The commitment and effort you put toward your goal deserve some recognition. It doesn’t matter if you cave in the last minute. That just sends you back to the drawing board, to plan for a smaller, less threatening event. Congratulations … and good luck!

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