Divorce On Main
From swiping for the first time at age 36 to bad dates with drunk anti-vaxxers.
(It should be no surprise thatgray divorces are on the rise.)
And they all agreed that what theyre looking for in a partner has changed.
Ive never dated as an adult its so wild, says the 31-year-old, who lives in Colorado.
Im very cautious, but also so much more confident in myself and what I want.
Its really fun sometimes and annoying other times.
Divorce was an eye-opener, she says.
I narrowed down some can’t-miss qualities in a partner and wont settle for less.
For others, like Julia, 33, dating again meant listening to their intuition.
But as many mentioned, dating post-split hasnt always been easy especially when they had to unlearn unhealthy habits.
Ive come a long way since then.
It was with a guy shed had a good date with before she got married.
It helped me immensely.
After getting divorced recently, Kelsy is no longer interested in serious relationships and has multiple non-monogamous partners.
The most recent first date Kelly G.*, 41, went on was also a disaster.
But theres hope for those looking for long-term relationships again.
I went on [some] dates and it was all pretty icky, Teagan says.
I said Id give one more guy a shot, and we ended up hitting it off.
Weve been together for almost a year now.
On Social Media
Then comes social media.
Sometimes, Guadalupe comes across a clients post on her own.
If she doesnt think itll help their case, shell let them know.
Some went straight for the ol block.
Id occasionally crack a joke about getting divorced young or share resources for victims of emotional abuse.
JM*, who got divorced after two years of marriage, posted about it once.
I wanted others to feel like it was OK if thats what you needed to do for yourself.
Others like Beth and Sierra, 27, from North Carolina, posted about their new status several times.
Several women ditched their accounts.
I was feeling so vulnerable, exposed, and betrayed.
Even though she posted about her fresh start, Alex found social media tricky to deal with.
Several of the women Bustle talked to likened it to grieving.
The worst part was the heartbreak, Sierra says.
Divorce is truly like a death.
Marissa, who got married at 23, still thinks about what couldve been.
I imagined her being with a better version of him.
Theres still a part of me that wonders why he couldnt have been those things for me.
He said he knew things werent perfect but didnt think they were that bad.
They disowned me as I broke their belief in marriage being forever, she says.
That was one of the hardest parts.
Their opinions and gossip made it almost unbearable, she says.
For many, it felt like a do-over.
Kelly G. felt inspired.
I feel a freedom and excitement about my future that I didnt think Id ever feel again.
I finally became aware of my surroundings and in control of my life!
Teagan says none of it has been bad.
Every part of my life got better, she says, adding that her social life and career boomed.
In fact, she considers it a top-rated experience.
Id give the divorce 10/10.
*Name has been changed to protect privacy.
This article was originally published onApril 12, 2022
