181 - From blues to blessing

Almost two years ago, my guest's then-husband casually mentioned to her that he wanted a divorce. She had been married to her husband for over ten years, and they had three children together. The kids were home, it was just like any other day. Except it wasn't. Although everything had been great in their marriage to begin with, cracks started to appear after the birth of their first child. Although my guest ignored the signs, there had been a loss in their connection. When the divorce was raised, her husband refused to go to counselling and refused to move out of the house. What happened next was a cruel, slow, drawn-out ending to what had once been a happy marriage. They lived together for six months whilst her husband had an affair right in front of her eyes. My guest did not want to believe it, had been in denial of the affair and clung on for hope, but the discovery of a package and card (and what was written inside the card) from the other woman meant she could no longer pretend it wasn't happening.  In this episode, my guest shares her story. She talks about the warning signs such as how all his goals only revolved around himself and his narcissistic traits, how she became so physically sick with the stress, the trouble that she had in accepting the end of the marriage, and how ultimately she got out of her slump. Two years on, and with her kids (now aged 11, 8, and 5), my guest has a completely different outlook on life. She sees what happened as a blessing. She also shares the best thing about being a single mum, and her advice for others in her position. Links mentioned in the episode: To contact Julia, email: [email protected]. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.