Recently a mom emailed me:

I feel so guilty for leaving my marriage. My husband is a really, really nice guy. He is a great dad, loves me a lot, has a good career. There was nothing really wrong with our marriage. I just didn't love him any more and wanted out. Now, our divorce is almost finalized, and we have all been so devastated — especially our kids. Now they have to schlep back and forth between two homes, go through the pain of having divorced parents, my ex is devastated, his parents and our friends are devastated, and we are both poorer having to support two homes. Even the dog looses since she stayed with me and misses her ‘dad'! Of course I am very sad about all of this, but I just could not be married to him any more. We are not intellectual or professional peers — I am growing a digital business I am passionate about, while he is 100% content in his middle-management corporate job with good benefits. I stopped being sexually attracted to him years ago, even though he is still a very handsome and fit man. Instead, I find myself fantasizing about and/or flirting with men in my professional circles who are mentally stimulating to me, understand my career and creative drive and ignite in me something I think I never experienced with my husband — deep, feminine PASSION (some of these guys are fat or old or not handsome — and I still find them so, so sexy!). These are men who jibe with my own growing social circle of equally driven and creative people — people who my husband never really connected with or felt comfortable around (even though, in all his decency and devotion to me, was always kind to and made an effort for). I don't have any commitment to any of these men, but simply feeling that way around them made me realize that by staying in my marriage. I am missing out on something I deeply crave and long to nurture. Now, on the other side of my marriage, I see that I may not ever find that kind of romantic connection that I crave, and I may be lonely. I see those I love most suffering because of this decision, and I am left feeling selfish, guilty and all-around rotten. In short: I wanted the divorce — so why do I feel so sad?

“Remember that just because one feels guilt, doesn't mean they are guilty,” says Michelle Pargman, a Jacksonville, Fla., licensed mental health counselor. “Guilt is energy that can be used to further explore what one can do differently in the future. Grief is helpful to identify as a byproduct of divorce — whether the loss comes from the relationship itself, or the lost expectation of what was the original vision for the marriage. Once we acknowledge these feelings, we can address them — whether through individual counseling, group support, or identifying mentors, religious/spiritual leaders, or friends.”

Can't decide whether or not to leave him? Struggling with horrible guilt after filing for divorce? Consider online therapy platforms. BetterHelp has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and a free 7-day trial. BetterHelp prices start at $35 per week, for unlimited sessions via chat, email, phone or video sessions. Choose from thousands of licensed and certified counselors for yourself or your teen (they also have couples counseling).

Get started with 10% off for Wealthy Single Mommy readers (no coupon code needed) >>

Listen to my Like a Mother episode on this topic:

I have heard many similar stories, all of which resonate on some level. I am glad I am not married to my ex, even if he is a good guy. Lots and lots of reasons, including some mentioned above by my emailer. But there are times when we are getting along, when we are chatting like old friends at the kids' T-ball game, the kids are exhausted from schlepping back and forth between our apartments, I remember all his good qualities and all the benefits of marriage, and I think:

Can't we just be adults and make it work? Can't we just agree not to fight any more? Be in one home, be practical, get over this trite, adolescent notion of forever soulful romantic love, have no expectations your husband will fulfill you and just be realistic already – FOR THE KIDS' SAKE?

Then he will blame me for my kid tripping in the hallway of my apartment and getting a bloody boo-boo on his head, or cancel a visit with the kids last-minute because he wants to see a concert and all those cozy notions are thrown out the window quicker than a Las Vegas divorce.

Maybe it means I'm selfish. Maybe it means I can't control my anger. Maybe it means I am an indulgent adolescent artist, but I don't want to be married to my ex-husband so I am not married to my ex-husband. We were great together in many ways, but we also bring out the worst in one another — something that neither of us are committed to overcoming. Also: I just don't want to be married to him.

Also, also: That is OK.

All these feelings are totally normal, even if they are conflicting. Sit with them all, and feel them all. They are all part of the grieving and healing and celebrating process that is a breakup or divorce.

Going through a divorce now? What to ask for in negotiations, so you land on your feet

However, I see women get stuck on the divorce that they very much wanted and see the value in. Explicitly or implicitly, they feel guilty and that guilt holds them back?

“I want to divorce my husband but I feel guilty,” or “I wanted the divorce why am I sad?”

Is this you? Here is the answer:

You feel bad / guilty / ashamed because one or all of these:

You ended a relationship that you committed to (broke your commitment), and the reasons are likely your own happiness

Women are taught that our highest calling is to sacrifice for family and children. In other words, we are taught early on that our happiness is frivolous and selfish.

We are told from all sides that children in single-mom homes suffer and are being punished for their parents' inability to keep a marriage together. Mothers always take the blame for this nonsense.

Wives are instructed to be the glue in a marriage — a straying husband, or unhappy husband, or frayed marriage is pegged on her letting herself go / not being attentive enough / being a bitch and nag / not good enough.

You are legit grieving a relationship that once brought you great joy and comfort.

You are legit grieving a relationship / dream / family that you very much wanted, that was part of a dream and a plan and an assumption about what your life would be — and no longer is.

Even if on an unconscious level, you take on the sexist shaming of moms' sexuality. Any desire you may have to date, find romance, get laid, test the dating waters, poke around on a dating site — or be public with a man you are deeply in love with (and maybe cheated on with) — is met with a bountiful dose of society's madonna-whore complex when it comes to mothers: We are told that good mothers are virgins, and our children will shrivel in horror should they be subject to their mothers' expression of womanhood.

Again, all of this is normal. Work through your rotten feelings, and understand where they come from.

Therapy, of course, helps millions of people. Online divorce can be great for divorced and single moms, since, when compared with traditional, in-person counseling, online therapy is more affordable, convenient, and more private (you don't have to worry about running into the PTA mom or your neighbor outside the counseling center).

BetterHelp is a leader in online therapy, with costs starting at $40 per week, for unlimited sessions via chat, email, phone or video. Choose from thousands of licensed and certified counselors for yourself or your teen (they also have couples counseling). Rated A+ from the Better Business Bureau, and with a FREE 7-day trial (no coupon code). Check out BetterHelp now >>

Is guilt a reason to stay married?

Guilt is a reason to stay married, but it is not one that will inspire either of you to truly work on making the relationship a thriving, committed, connected one.

What is divorce guilt?

Divorce guilt is simply feeling bad because you chose to leave your spouse, initiate divorce, or otherwise believe your actions caused the end of your marriage.

Why do we feel guilt about divorce?

While I am here to tell you that it takes two people to make a relationship work, and both parties have a responsibility for a relationship not working out, there can be some overt actions that society tells us are very wrong and very much puts the responsibility on one spouse. These include:

Cheating

Addiction

Physical and emotional abuse

Extremely bad management of finances — including wracking up debt, overspending and inability to keep a job / refusal to work

No sex

Simply wanting to leave to live your own life

Understanding guilt before divorce and after divorce

If you feel guilty for leaving a marriage, really beating yourself up, here are a few things to consider:

Be honest: Is your husband really working on this relationship? Or has he passively given up, too.

Is he happy? Be honest.

Do you worry that if you leave, he will hurt himself, or otherwise be miserable? (Co-dependent alert!).

Do all your friends and family think this marriage is really bad for you and urge you to leave? Listen to them. We are often our own worst judges.

See where I am going here? I get that you feel bad, but our society has established it as women's jobs to keep our men happy, fed, laid and our marriages intact.

In reality, you are a woman with needs and desires and since we can now earn our own money, vote, and own land in our own damn names, marriages mainly serve as a source of emotional and sexual fulfillment. Once that is gone, there isn't a whole lot of reason to stay

How long does divorce guilt last?

Divorce guilt lasts as long as you choose to, though it does take time to get over a big breakup. A good solid year is a generous measure of time to grieve. Therapy can help.

8 reasons online therapy is great for moms (and questions to ask before signing on with a therapist)

How divorce guilt holds moms back

Where feelings of guilt related to your divorce get messy, is when you hold yourself back in implicit and explicit ways. You stay stuck. Here are common ways women's divorce guilt keep them stuck.

Divorce guilt can make divorce more expensive and painful

If you are just starting out on your divorce journey, regret or guilt can manifest in all kinds of toxic ways that make the divorce process that much more painful for all parties involved — including hiring litigious attorneys, play dirty and cost everyone money and heartache.

If this touches a nerve, take a deep breath. Ask your higher power for grace, kindness, and forgiveness — of him, and yourself. Seek out the lowest-conflict divorce you can. This might mean working with a mediator or filing yourself for divorce online. You may need to hire a professional to make sure the filing is complete, and everyone's interests are represented, but starting off on your new co-parenting journey with the least amount of drama, and spending the least amount of money, will pay off in so many ways.

There are many quality online divorce companies that will help you accomplish an uncontested, low-conflict divorce for modest fees. CompleteCase will provide all of the required filing papers, as well as detailed instructions for how to file in your state, for a flat fee of $299 — including secure cloud storage of these documents. Check out CompleteCase now>>

Divorce guilt can hurt your co-parenting relationship

No matter how you feel about your ex, or your marriage, or the end of that relationship, if you have kids together, here are the facts:

He will be in your life forever.

The sooner you figure out how to co-parent amicably, the better. Read these rules for successful co-parenting — no matter how toxic your ex.

You may find that he is a better dad post-divorce, and now that you don't fight with him any more, and have the kids half the time, you are a better mom.

You might like him again (it has happened).

One of the first co-parenting apps, and widely used app, OurFamilyWizard, which features chat, information storage (like pediatrician and teacher contact info, prescriptions, etc.), and financial record-keeping. 30-day free trial, discounts for military families, and a program to provide OurFamilyWizard free to low-income families. Each parent can add unlimited numbers of other people for free, including children, grandparents, step and bonus parents, as well as attorneys.

Try OurFamilyWizard for free for 30 days now >>

Read OurFamilyWizard review on Wealthysinglemommy.com >>

Divorce guilt keeps you from dating and finding love (and fun!)

PSA: Moms are women. Women are sexual, mature adults who need companionship, sex, and romance. Maybe you simply are not ready to date yet, and that is ok.

But are you not dating because of guilt? Do you feel like you don't deserve to be in love?

Do you feel weird to have a sex life with someone who is not your kids' dad?

Do your friends and family lay on the guilt about taking time away from the kids to date? Or worse — do they pressure you to hurry up and get married again while you are still young — and create a “real” family again for the sake of the kids?

Maybe you are dating, or even have a partner — but hide this part of yourself from your kids, shrouding that whole, very important part of yourself in shame — which I promise you: your kids pick up on this whether you think they do or not.

Here is what you will do:

Poke around a online dating site. I'm also a fan of matchmaking services, especially for busy moms. For serious, long-term relationships, eHarmony stands out, with its deep personality profile (free), verified profiles, video dating, and 100% members focused on committed partnerships. Get started with eHarmony's 3-month free guarantee >> Get laid. Post-divorce sex is often mind-blowing. This is my experience, as well as that of thousands of women I have connected with. Dating apps are great for this. Or wink at that cute guy in your building — or ask a local mom for a referral. Friends with benefits may be a good fit for you. You can try it all out! Trust me: good sex is not hard to find. Therapy can help. Learn about all the top online therapy sites, which comes with all the same benefits of regular therapy, but for a fraction of the price, and with the convenience of text, email, phone or video connection). Hang out with the right people. Maybe spend time with the funny gay guys at the gym, or join my closed Facebook group Millionaire Single Moms, where single mothers chat openly about all kinds of sexy things without an ounce of shame (the threads on anal sex always leave my jaw dropped), while also supporting moms struggling through guild and shame.

5 friends every single mom needs — and where to find them

Divorce guilt means you hold on to a house you can't afford

Women can be weird about real estate, and there is a good reason why. We are conditioned to be the matron of the home, positioned to be responsible for creating a cozy home in which memories are created and stored for generations.

That is beautiful and possible for some people.

More likely, a house is a money pit that becomes a big-ass mistake in a divorce.

Ask any divorce attorney: Women fight tooth-and-nail to keep homes they cannot afford when they divorce.

A house is likely your biggest financial asset, and should be treated as such. When you divorce, and if you owned a home with your husband or partner, any equity in the home is likely communal property, and is to be split 50/50, typically with a sale. I'm a fan of HomeBay, a site that easily helps you sell your home for a tiny fraction of the typical 6% broker fee.

Instead, I see moms holding on to properties they can't afford in the name of:

Shielding their children from the stress of moving house (fact: research finds that financial stress / poverty is the #1 biggest risk factor in divorce)

Maintaining a lifestyle she believes she is entitled to / the couple sought while married (fact: you're not married to him! You need a new dream now!)

My advice in 95% of these situations: Take that money run!

Why?

If you can't easily afford the house, you have no business being in it. You are now 100% responsible for your lifestyle and financial security. This is an incredible opportunity to set big goals and find success that you could not previously imagine. That is really hard if you struggle to pay a mortgage, taxes and utilities on your house. Cut ties to that old life. No matter your feelings about your relationship, and the end of it, it is imperative to accept that that relationship is over, and you owe it to yourself and your children to live in reality, and move forward to a new, hopefully more fulfilling life. New scenery is in order.

This article will help you decide whether to keep the house, or sell.

Divorce guilt means you hold on to keepsakes you don't use

Legally, anything considered a gift in marriage is the property of the gifted — including any jewelry. I hear so many women who are really broke, or otherwise struggling to move on from divorce, also holding on to household items, furniture, an engagement ring or other things they do no use or enjoy for the sake of posterity.

My general rule: If you are not using it, it does not bring you joy, or otherwise serves as a dark reminder of unhappy times — get rid of it. And no: Your kids do not want your engagement ring. It represents a failed marriage, and likely heartache for them. They don't want that shit!

Here is how to make money via feng shui and declutter every room in your house, and my own experience with selling my engagement ring for the most money.

What do you do with this extra, guilt-free cash? Invest in making your life better!

How do you cope and get over guilt of divorce?

The best revenge is living your best life — and sometimes you need to take revenge on yourself.

What I mean is this: Today you feel all kinds of shame and guilt for wanting to leave your relationship. Fast-forward to next year and your life is incredible: You are in shape, feel great, dating a great guy (or dating a lot of guys), thriving in your career, your finances are shaping up and your kids are doing AMAZING.

All your fear and guilt around your divorce now have to contend with the facts. The fact is that you and your family are better since you divorced.

Stop arguing with yourself!

I have been divorced for close to 10 years now. Holy shit is my life a thousand times better than when I was married. I shudder at what my life would have looked like had we stayed together.

I want to explore my sexuality in a way that is impossible with him — and oh yeah I did.

I want to be with people who support my huge professional ambition and creative pursuits without competing — again, impossible with him.

I want to be with a man who easily forgives and easily laughs, and easily picks up his dirty fucking clothes and just puts them in the hamper. Score!

I am thriving professionally in a way that I was impossible for me in that partnership. I am creatively free and fulfilled, which could not have happened in that marriage.

I just don't want to be married to him. End of story. I don't have to explain myself to anyone — including me!

The end of that relationship was painful for so many people. And being divorced is hard for him, me and my kids in lots of practical ways.

But the net result for all involved is positive. I am thriving and my very best self now — and I, my kids and those in my orbit benefit. Is that selfish? Adolescent? A mentality of post-feminist, navel-gazing Gen X/Y/millennials?

Maybe?

I don't fucking care.

I am glad for it.

And I free you to be glad for it, too.

Not quite there yet? Do these things now:

Consider therapy with a company like BetterHelp. Read: BetterHelp online therapy review Focus on your own self-care. Hang out with people who get it, get you, and see happiness in you when you don't have the courage to see it yourself. Again: Millionaire Single Moms on Facebook. Decide that tomorrow you will wake up, the guilt will be less than the day before, and that it may take a long time for it to be 100% gone. That's cool. Find success stories about other thriving single moms. I have a bunch in my book, The Kickass Single Mom (Penguin). Pay attention to how you identify yourself. You know those women who have been divorced for 30 years, and in the first 2 minutes of meeting someone new they unload that their husband left them for another woman / abused her / was living a double life / etc.? Don't be that woman. She has one identity: A victim of divorce. You are not her. You are an adult with full control of who you are and your happiness. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise: YOUR HAPPINESS IS CRITICAL.