Choosing to mediate your divorce will mean you and your spouse have more control over the process and outcome. However, it also means that you two are the ones who must work to reach some sort of resolution as you separate your lives once again. Learning when to compromise – and how to approach it – will be essential.
Compromise will play an important role
In divorce mediation, you and your spouse will negotiate the terms of the end of your marriage. Therefore, you and your spouse must reach a compromise to some level on certain issues. The level of compromise will depend on the level to which you agree on various things.
Regardless, the ability to compromise will be key. There are some critical details to evaluate as you prepare.
4 questions to ask yourself
Even if you will not be going to court, preparation will still be necessary. There are four important questions you must consider before beginning mediation:
- What are you willing to compromise on?
- How much are you willing to compromise?
- What are you not willing to compromise on?
- When is it time to compromise – and when will it not be effective?
It might seem like an overwhelming task, but you must carefully consider your answers to these questions for every aspect of your divorce, from each individual asset to your child custody agreement. For example, if you consider the inventory of your marital assets, with which items are you comfortable reaching a compromise, and which ones are nonnegotiable?
Make sure you understand your goals and needs for the future as you evaluate your answers. This can help you determine a realistic answer that balances your wants and needs. Answering these questions is not as straightforward as it seems, but it can provide a foundation for you to navigate your negotiation.
Note: As we have discussed in previous blog posts, compromise has a time and a place. It often depends on the case, so you must also be strategic in how you employ your ability to compromise.