Breaking up a close or intimate relationship is usually a profoundly painful experience, often unexpectedly rippling into other areas of life. Even if the decision is mutual and arrived at with respect and compassion, it can bring with it feelings of grief and failure. If the cause of the breakup is fighting, a misalignment of values, or a violation of trust, the hurt will go deeper. Breakups can have social and financial repercussions, and the emotional weight and stress are compounded in divorce, where legal complications draw out the process. Many people experience the loss of an imagined future, yet there are ways to approach divorce and breakup that can point to a more deeply satisfying life ahead.