Episode 176: Dating After Divorce: How Jeannette Found Confidence, Adventure, and Love Again with Smart Dating Academy

Episode 176: Dating After Divorce: How Jeannette Found Confidence, Adventure, and Love Again with Smart Dating Academy

What happens when a long marriage ends and you find yourself starting over in your fifties?

In this inspiring episode, Bela talks with Smart Dating Academy client Jeannette, who rebuilt her life after the end of a 30 year marriage.
She opens up about grief, raising five children, losing a child, divorce, and what it took to heal and find herself again.

Jeannette shares the emotional truth of that moment.
When her husband said he wanted a divorce, she felt shocked, embarrassed, and unsure how to move forward.
But slowly, she began making decisions that were right for her.

She learned how to ask:
What would make me happy?

Highlights from this episode:


A long marriage ends unexpectedly
Jeannette met her husband when she was young. They built a family, had four children (and one son who passed away), and settled into traditional roles.

When her husband said the marriage was over, she still wanted to work on it. She suggested therapy.
He refused, and she was left to pick up the pieces.

Grieving and rebuilding
Jeannette shares how she worked through grief, embarrassment, and shame.
She also had to learn how to be on her own after having a rebound relationship with someone from her past.
She began traveling.
She reconnected with her friends.
She took trips where she was completely alone, and found that she loved it.
She also realized that she didn't want to do life 'alone' forever, and that she wanted to find love again.    
 
Taking small brave steps
Jeannette did not jump into dating quickly.
She took time to get strong, heal, and become emotionally available.
She made a decision: she would only date when she was ready, and she wanted to learn HOW to pick right this time.

Enter Smart Dating Academy
When she reached out to Smart Dating Academy, she was nervous.
Dating had completely changed since she was last single.
Bela and the SDA coaches helped her build confidence with new photos, an amazing profile and the Smart Dating GPQ® Framework that helped her understand WHO a good partner was for her.  
She learned how to communicate, what red flags looked like, and how to only choose High GPQ® partners.
Her mindset shifted from fear to possibility.

Dating became joyful again
With guidance, intention, and support from her coaches Bela Gandhi and LIndsay Anderson, she began dating.
She met interesting men.
She felt excited instead of anxious.
Jeannette says the biggest change was internal:
“I became someone who knew what I wanted. I did not settle. I trusted myself.”
Jeannette also stopped drinking, and began a whole new beautiful chapter of her alcohol-free life!

 
Finding love again
Jeannette found love!   He's amazing and she's never been happier.  
There is emotional availability, communication, elevation and shared enjoyment of life.
She did not find love because she was lucky.
She created it by doing the inner work and working with Smart Dating Academy.

Key takeaways

  • Healing takes time, but it is possible

  • You can create a joyful life after divorce

  • Adventure builds confidence

  • Dating is not something to fear, but an exciting chapter when you have the Smart Dating system!  

  • You deserve connection, fun, and love

  • Healthy relationships are available at any age


If you are starting over, listen to this episode!
You will hear honesty, resilience, humor, and hope.

Episode Resource:

 
 
 
Bela Gandhi