Lost Yourself in Marriage? How to Reclaim Your Identity After Divorce | Chris Cushing

What happens when you realize the life you’re living isn’t truly yours?In this listener-favorite episode of Bent Not Broken: Life After Divorce, I’m bringing back my most downloaded conversation with Chris Cushing, U.S. Air Force veteran, entrepreneur, and owner of VA Victory.And I believe there’s a reason this episode connected with so many listeners: authenticity.Chris doesn’t share a perfectly packaged story of divorce and starting over. She shares the truth about what it feels like to lose yourself in marriage, ignore your intuition, struggle with the expectations of who you think you’re supposed to be, and eventually find the courage to reclaim your identity and live authentically.Chris knew from the beginning that something wasn’t right. When her future husband proposed, she cried—not because she was happy, but because a voice inside her was telling her this wasn’t the life she wanted. Yet expectations about marriage, family, and what she was “supposed” to do kept her moving forward.Years later, Chris began confronting a much bigger question:Who am I when I stop living the life everyone else expects me to live?In this honest conversation, Chris opens up about marriage, becoming an instant stepmom, navigating a blended family, coming to understand her sexuality, leaving her marriage, dealing with guilt, trusting herself again, finding love, and ultimately becoming unapologetically herself.We talk about the gut feelings we ignore, the fear of disappointing others, and why starting over after divorce can sometimes mean more than rebuilding your life—it can mean finally discovering who you were meant to be.In This Episode, We Talk About:Losing your identity in marriage and finding yourself againWhy we sometimes ignore our intuition and relationship red flagsThe pressure to follow society’s expectations of marriage and familyChris’s experience of realizing she was gay while marriedLeaving a marriage and choosing to live authenticallyNavigating divorce, guilt, stepfamily relationships, and starting overLearning to trust yourself and your inner voice againThe importance of community and having a safe place when leaving a relationshipRebuilding confidence, peace, and identity after divorceFinding love again after a marriage endsLetting go of the person you thought you were supposed to beCreating a life based on happiness, truth, purpose, and authenticityChris reminds us that life after divorce isn’t about becoming someone new. Sometimes it’s about finally giving yourself permission to become who you really are.If you’ve ever felt lost in your marriage, questioned who you are outside of your relationship, ignored your gut because you were afraid of what would happen if you listened, or wondered how to rebuild your life after divorce, this conversation is for you.You don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin again.Sometimes rebuilding starts with one question:Am I being true to myself?Listen as Chris shares how she stopped trying to fit inside someone else’s definition of the life she was supposed to live—and started creating a life that finally felt like her own.Enjoyed this episode of Bent Not Broken: Life After Divorce with Deborah Griffiths?Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so more people searching for life after divorce, divorce recovery, co-parenting, dating after divorce, and healing from gaslighting can discover this empowering podcast. Every review helps others find hope, inspiration, and practical tools for thriving after divorce. Explore more resources: Visit BrokenToBoldness.com for coaching, workshops, and guidance on divorce recovery and life transitions. Follow Deborah Griffiths for daily empowerment and support:Instagram: @BrokenToBoldnessFacebook: Broken to BoldnessLinkedIn: Broken to BoldnessRemember: divorce may bend you, but it does not break you. You are stronger than you think, and your bold new chapter starts now. Disclaimer: The commentary and opinions available on this podcast are for informational and entertainment purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal or psychological advice. You should contact an attorney, coach, or therapist in your state to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem.