Divorced and Doing It All!

You Too Can Respool a Weed Wacker!

Divorced women, this one's for you! 🌟

I wanted to share a story from the weekend that really hit home for me, especially for those navigating life post-divorce. It’s a story about the challenges, the growth, and the small victories that come with doing it all—on your own.

Growing up, many of us were taught specific gender roles based on our families' cultural norms, societal influences, and even our socioeconomic backgrounds. In my experience, the girls in our family didn’t do the lawn—that was the boys' job. We might have weeded, but mowing, edging, and all the heavy lifting? That was "men’s work."

Fast forward to marriage, and guess what? We often fall right back into those roles. In my first marriage, my husband handled the lawn, or we hired someone to do it. Wasband #2 didn’t want me mowing the lawn either—it was his domain.

But now, as a single woman, I mow my own lawn. I use the blower, and yes, even the weed whacker! But what happens when it runs out of string? In the past, this would have totally derailed me. The “Poor Me” voice would kick in, telling me things like, “If only I had a partner, I wouldn’t have to do this. My married friends are so lucky their partners take care of this. I wasn’t taught how to do this. I SHOULDN’T have to do this!”

You get the idea.

Despite seeing myself as a strong and capable woman, I can still be thrown off course by those nagging voices in my head. But here's the victory: this past weekend, I recognized those warning signs—the overwhelm, the urge to avoid it, the desire for someone to rescue me, the "Poor Me" thoughts.

And I shifted. I embraced an empowering attitude that left me feeling proud of myself. I celebrated this small victory on social media and was met with support, acknowledgment, and meaningful conversations around the issue.

Guess what, "Poor Me" voice? Married women struggle with this too—especially those whose partners aren’t handy! 

This actually isn’t even about yard work, childhood, social, gender norms…It’s about…

How do you show up for yourself when things feel hard?

I wanted to share this story because it reminded me of the importance of these conversations. When we openly discuss our challenges, we not only gain insight into our own lives but also create a supportive environment where others can do the same.

Here’s to challenging the norms, supporting each other, and growing stronger every day! 💪🌱