Since My Divorce • 26th September 2019

It’s Time To Celebrate The Comforts Of Fall

In some areas of the country, the temperatures have yet to drop below 90 degrees but even in the warmest of places, summer is winding down. When the first cool breeze arrives, we all know that it’s time to celebrate the comforts of fall. Your favorite coffee shops are bringing back everything pumpkin-spiced. There are Halloween decorations in stores and the leaves are changing color ever so subtly. Let’s consider our favorite things about autumn. I look forward to pulling out my knee boots eve

Since My Divorce • 29th August 2019

How To Meet Your Next Romantic Partner When Dating After Divorce

Are you new to dating after divorce? If you were asked how you met your previous romantic partners, you might say that friends introduced you or you were set up on a blind date. Recent data has revealed that online dating is now the most common way to meet new partners. In a survey of over 3,500 heterosexual couples, the data revealed: • By 2017, that number reached 39% and is still climbing. • For same-sex couples, that number has reached 60%. Because of the larger set of choices, meeting som

Since My Divorce • 30th May 2019

What Do Your Wedding Rings Symbolize?

For hundreds of years, rings have been part of getting married in many cultures. Their significance, however, is much more than their financial value. They symbolize many things: a never-ending connection because it is a circle; the unique connection between two people; a signal to everyone that you’re committed to someone else; the tangible reminder of a solemn promise and more. Let’s dive into the historical significance of wedding rings and what they mean. It is believed that the earliest e

Since My Divorce • 22nd April 2019

10 Ways Your Wedding Rings Could Bring Relief After Divorce

There’s no question that divorce is one of the top stressors in anyone’s life. Those going through a divorce are encouraged to take it one day at a time and to make self-care a priority. Because of the high intensity of emotions and navigating a new life, any relief is welcome. Did you know that selling your wedding rings could offer some relief after your divorce? Let Go of Sadness When you’re storing mementos from your wedding and marriage, you may also be symbolically holding on to pain, gr

Since My Divorce • 14th February 2019

After Divorce, What Would Marie Kondo Say About Your Wedding Memorabilia?

After a divorce, it can be challenging to discard anything that reminded you of your marriage. If you wanted the divorce, it may feel healing to blow up or trash your wedding dress once the papers are filed. For others, especially those with children, you may decide to save some wedding memorabilia for their memories or special day. The next decisions you must make are what to save and what to discard. Have you considered the KonMari method of tidying up your space? What would Marie Kondo say a

Since My Divorce • 28th January 2019

Taking Off Your Wedding Rings: When's The Right Time?

The first thing to understand about removing your wedding rings during a divorce or separation is that there is no right time. What feels right is going to feel wrong to someone else. As you’ll learn through the divorce process, you have to decide what’s right for you. That said, everyone going through this emotional time will handle the wedding rings question differently. Is there a “right” time to remove your wedding rings during a divorce? Is there a reason to keep wearing the rings? When

Since My Divorce • 19th November 2018

How to Make Extra Money After Divorce

With the holidays in full swing, it can be tempting to overindulge, especially if you’re going through a divorce. You may want to spoil yourself or your children so that the sting of life changes don’t sting quite as bad. The National Retail Federation is already predicting the average American will spend over $1000 on holiday shopping this year. It all feels good at the time but when the credit card bill arrives those feelings change if you can’t pay it off. You can avoid the hangover in Janua

Since My Divorce • 15th November 2018

What's Your Relationship With Money?

Divorce can feel like quite a shock to the system. Everything you thought you knew has changed. It may cause many to reevaluate their relationships with friends, family and themselves. You may also reevaluate your relationship with money. Because of the financial strain of divorce, and the division of assets, it may become apparent that you have strong emotions around money. In fact, finances could be the reason for the strain in your marriage. What is your relationship with money? If you chan

Since My Divorce • 29th October 2018

What Halloween Candy Reveals About Your Divorce

Tis the season – no, not Christmas yet – of Halloween candy. Whether you buy it at the store and eat it all before the trick-or-treating or your children bring loads of it home on October 31, there will be candy and it will be tempting. You may have memories of your own trick-or-treating fun as you watch your children choose which candy is their favorite, which gets thrown or traded away, and which ones they absolutely must share with you. The way a person handles Halloween candy may reveal a d

Since My Divorce • 15th October 2018

Financial Abuse is Domestic Abuse

Many of us instinctively think of domestic abuse as being physical. Society and the mental health field are increasingly recognizing emotional abuse as another form of control. Another form of domestic abuse, that can be quite damaging although it is less recognized, is financial abuse. Domestic abuse, physical, emotional and financial, is about power and control. When an intimate partner exercises control over your access to money and the way you spend your money, you may feel powerless and st

Since My Divorce • 1st October 2018

What’s the Emotional Value of Your Wedding Diamond?

When purchasing a wedding diamond, jewelers use a particular method for determining the value of the stone. Cut, color, carat and clarity are known as the 4C’s and are useful in examining a diamond’s characteristics and worth. If you’re in possession of a diamond engagement ring, you may view the stone differently than its physical properties alone. That piece of jewelry comes with a lot of memories. If you’re trying to decide whether you should sell your diamond, you may need to weigh its emot

Since My Divorce • 28th September 2018

Four Personal Finance Basics Not Taught in School

As our children go back to school, those going through a divorce have discovered that some things just are not taught in the K – 12. For instance, we were never taught the basics of personal finance in school. We had more years of high school and preparatory college math, which we may rarely need, than any financial literacy or education. Many of us have learned by trial and error. During a divorce, we’re suddenly forced to confront our finances. Either our spouse took complete control of the f

Since My Divorce • 5th September 2018

Signs You May Not Be Ready For Dating

Leaving a relationship certainly leaves an emptiness that many wish to fill quickly. Unfortunately, you may not be 100% ready to start dating but you won’t realize it. If you do move forward into a relationship without being ready, it could lead to the same patterns that lead to the downfall of your marriage. Unless you’re willing to go through that again, it may be best to continue your healing journey first. Read on to discover signs that reveal you might just need a little more time before s

To Leave the Nest - Personal Blog • 5th June 2016

21 Life Skills Teenagers Should Know Before Leaving Home

With one (man)child leaving home for college (again – and it’ll hopefully stick this time!), one daughter firmly in her teens and another daughter right there at teenhood, I’ve started to become very vocal about their entry into young adulthood. There are some life skills that I think EVERY child should know before they head into their lives. I thought I’d put together a list of 21 things to know before turning 21. Finances are one of those things that will make or break you. It affects, not on

To Leave the Nest - Personal Blog • 26th January 2016

Real Talk with my Daughters about Middle School & High School

As my daughters are becoming teenagers, there are some days when I want to lock myself in my room. They’re fighting, probably more now than ever, and although I could put the kibosh on it, I am also a sibling and I know that this is (sadly) normal. They swear to me that they don’t actually hate each other, even if it sounds like they do. There are other moments, however, that I can tell that they still very much love and care about one another. You see, my youngest daughter will be entering mi

To Leave the Nest - Personal Blog • 9th February 2015

12 Survival Tips for Long Distance Relationships

I do not claim to be an expert at long distance relationships or relationships in general. I have, however, successfully enjoyed nearly 6 years of a long distance relationship. So when I’m asked for survival tips, I go on my own experience. (Feel free to add your own in the comments!) This is one of the most difficult things about being in a long distance relationship. Of course you’re going to question it. It hurts too much to be apart from the person you love. But if you’ve both made a decisi

To Leave the Nest - Personal Blog • 30th August 2012

How to Be "In a Relationship" and on Facebook

We’ve all seen it. So and so changed their relationship status from “in a relationship” to “single”. And so it begins…. the barrage of messages from people: “Oh no! Are you okay?” “Screw him/her! You’re better off without him/her!” If you’re like me, you’re probably rolling your eyes or cringing. Most of us don’t really want to announce to the world that we broke up or that it just got really complicated. On the contrary, some may or may not want to announce engagements this way either. Still