Dating After Divorce: How to Trust Yourself to Move On

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text!The hardest part of divorce isn’t signing papers; it’s deciding who you want to be next. Mary sits down with divorce recovery coach Leah Mazur to trace a path from abandonment wounds and serial monogamy to boundaries, standards, and a calmer nervous system. Together we break the old script that says your worth depends on being chosen, and replace it with a practical roadmap for choosing yourself: slowing down, noticing red flags without making excuses, and building a full, satisfying life where partnership is a bonus, not a requirement.Leah’s story begins with profound loss—both parents gone by 21—and the coping patterns that followed. She opens her toolkit: self-reflection over blame, mindfulness, journaling, and the steady practice of acting on intuition. We talk about how to stop dating from a void, how to read behavior over chemistry, and how to shift the internal question from “Do they like me?” to “Do they add value to my life?” For single moms, we cover dating with kids, keeping introductions private until there’s earned trust, and handling mom guilt by modeling courage and healthy coping. We also challenge comparison culture and the myth that staying married equals success; curated feeds don’t reveal the cost behind the smile.If you’re afraid of repeating patterns, this conversation offers concrete ways to change them: enforce boundaries early, honor your body’s signals, and make financial independence a pillar of your peace. When two whole people meet, there’s no fixing project—just alignment. Listen to reclaim your standards, trust your nature, and start the next chapter on your terms.Enjoyed the conversation? Follow, rate, and share the show, then tell us: what boundary will you hold firm on next?Support the showBUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASHLearn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE.Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at [email protected]. Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingvioletsFollow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!