Dear Erin, I'm Getting Divorced. Now What?

I received a DM on Instagram from a woman I will refer to as Tiffani to respect her privacy. She reached out to let me know that she and her husband have decided to get divorced, stating that the pandemic, lockdown specifically, destroyed their marriage. Knowing that Tiffani's situation is not unique at all, that several couples have experienced turmoil, broken up, or filed for divorce during the pandemic, I asked if she would be open to sharing her story on the podcast, and she obliged.  

Hi Erin, My name is Tiffani, and I've been listening to your podcast for a while now. I found it during covid, which has been one of the most challenging times in my life, as it has for most people. I've binged so many of your episodes. I feel like I've watched your journey to find love unfold and couldn't be happier for you. I thought I had found my soulmate, I thought I had married him, but being housebound for over a year, losing my job during the pandemic, and just being on top of one another 24-7 has proven to be too much for us to handle. We've elected to get a divorce which I've had time to come to peace with. What I can't seem to come to peace with, what is keeping me up at night, is having to date again. I'm terrified. I hear all my single friends complain about how awful it is, I listened to some of your dating adventures too, and I wonder if I can do it. I want a second chance at love, at finding my soulmate so I have someone to grow old with. Can I do this? Where do I even start?

I address Tiffani's two questions, "Can I do this?" and "Where do I even start?" on this episode, Dear Erin, I'm Getting Divorced. Now What?

I was right about Tiffani not being alone. I discovered by September of 2020, couples heading toward divorce were up 34%. 31% of those couples admitted lockdown caused irreparable damage to their relationships, and 25% of those couples had just married within the past five months. Speaking from experience, the first year of marriage presents a fair amount of challenges as you blend two worlds, let alone throw a global pandemic into the mix.

I did uncover some uplifting news. According to Census Data, which is timely, 48% of adults in the United States are single. Almost half of the population is on the market! Now I don't know if that makes re-entering the dating scene more or less polarizing, but the upside of that is there is plenty of opportunity.

Tune in to hear the advice I shared with Tiffani. Have some nuggets of wisdom to share from your own experience? Feel free to drop them in the comments below.