Divorce taught me that choosing myself is not selfish—it’s necessary for my growth. For so long, I believed that putting myself first meant I was failing as a partner, as if sacrificing my own needs and happiness was the price of a successful marriage. I poured so much of myself into trying to make things work, ignoring the small voice inside me that whispered, “This isn’t enough.”

When my marriage ended, I felt guilty. I questioned whether I had done everything I could, whether walking away made me selfish. Society has a way of making you feel like choosing your own well-being is a betrayal of the vows you took. But as the days turned into weeks, I began to understand something profound: staying in a relationship where I was losing myself wasn’t noble—it was damaging.

Divorce forced me to confront the parts of myself I had neglected. It was a painful but necessary reckoning, and for the first time in years, I asked myself what I wanted out of life. What kind of love did I deserve? Who did I want to be? Slowly, I began to realize that choosing myself wasn’t an act of selfishness—it was an act of survival.

Now, I see that growth often comes from the hardest decisions. Walking away allowed me to rediscover my worth, my voice, and my dreams. Divorce wasn’t just an ending; it was the beginning of a life where I no longer apologize for putting myself first.