I’m Karen, a 42-year-old woman who has been single for the last five years. My marriage didn’t last, but I refuse to see divorce as a failure. Instead, I view it as a necessary step toward finding my true happiness. It was a turning point—a chance to break free from a life that no longer fulfilled me and to start over on my own terms.

In the beginning, it wasn’t easy. There were moments of doubt, loneliness, and fear of the unknown. Society often tells women like me that being single at this stage in life is something to be pitied, as if my worth is tied to being someone’s wife. But I refuse to let outdated expectations define me. Instead of mourning what was lost, I chose to embrace what was ahead.

Divorce gave me the opportunity to rediscover myself. I learned to enjoy my own company, to prioritize my happiness, and to set boundaries that protect my peace. I traveled, pursued hobbies I had once put aside, and surrounded myself with people who uplifted me. Most importantly, I realized that my happiness was never meant to be dependent on someone else—it was something I had to create for myself.

Today, I stand strong, not just as a single woman, but as a woman who knows her worth. Divorce didn’t break me; it set me free. And that freedom is the greatest gift I could have ever given myself.