Sometimes I reflect on where I am in my life and question whether or not I could have done things differently to ensure I didn’t end up as a single mother and every time the answer comes back that I had to go through the experiences I did to become the person I am today.
I can remember being in this bubble of stress and uncertainty which felt like I was riding an emotional roller coaster on a daily basis. At the time I knew the situation I was living in did not make me feel good and it was the awareness I had of the impact this could have on my son that pushed me into making some tough decisions.
I am grateful I had the strength and determination to create positive changes for my son and yes it has been one of the hardest experiences of my life yet I’ve known intuitively it was the right thing to do. There are still times I am saddened by the loss of how I expected family life should be and in truth I stuck with trying to make things work as a family for a long time as my life plan was not to be a single parent.
I had to have a look at what was actually real life rather than cling onto an ideology of how I wanted life to be. Whilst this was confronting, it really was the catalyst to those tough decisions – I simply asked myself how long is long enough to live in an unhappy marriage. I could see things were not going to change and for the sake of my son, and most importantly myself I took ownership of my situation and worked to change it.
There are times I can see others going through similar experiences that I had, I have even listened to others troubled times and offered advice to help increase their confidence and self-belief with making the best decision for them.
Going solo is far from easy yet it is possible. With a bit of grit, determination and amazing support network I have created a stress free independent home life with my little guy. A home that is full of love, laughter and adventure and this I treasure every day.