coping with divorce

One Way of Coping With Divorce: Laugh!

Editor’s note: I can’t remember how I found out about Ending Up, Paige Morrow Kimball’s short film about coping with divorce, but what I do remember is that when I watched the trailer, I was laughing so hard I had tears running down my cheeks. It put me in a great mood, entertained me, inspired … Read more

how do you know when to say I love you

How Do You Know When to Say I Love You?

Those three little words that we all long to hear from the man or woman we adore can mean the world, but if said at an inopportune time or under the wrong circumstances, “I love you” can be a dreaded statement that might cause confusion, embarrassment or even regret. So, how do you know when … Read more

cheating spouse

Cheating Spouse: Cold-hearted or Nice Guy who Just Wants Love?

This is a comment that Divorced Girl Smiling received from a cheating spouse, along with my comments and advice. I have been married 17 years to my wife and we have 3 great kids. I’ve been unhappy for a long time. It’s one of those situations where it was just the way it was, and … Read more

life coaching business

Couple turns lemons into life coaching business

I’m not really well versed about the life coaching business, and sometimes I wonder, what does a life coach really do?  They counsel. They encourage. They help people figure out what to do professionally. They help people through life transitions, divorce, death, perhaps. I guess unless you’ve been to one, it seems a little vague. … Read more

divorce advice

I’m Listening! Divorce Advice in Response to Your Comments

Divorced Girl Smiling has been in existence for 14 months, and during that time, I’ve done my best to offer divorce advice not only in an inspirational way, but I constantly strive to be impartial, nonjudgmental, and of course, funny, at times to lighten things up. What I want you all to know is that … Read more

divorced couples planning a Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Divorced Couples Planning A Bar/Bat Mitzvah

A Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a truly happy occasions, a milestone, and a time when parents beam with pride and joy. But for many divorced couples planning a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, what’s supposed to be a really fun, happy occasion can become another source of stress, a reason to argue and resent each other, and even sadness. … Read more

what do women want in a relationship?

What Do Women Want in a Relationship? Here are 11 Things

What do women want in a relationship? Nothing and everything and everything in between those things! We are pretty simple, and a lot of times, the problem is that women don’t express to their partner what we want. Also, the partner wants to give these things to the woman, but he just doesn’t know how! … Read more

the L word

Have You Said The L Word Lately?

Almost every person I’ve ever talked to who is newly divorced says one or more of these things in reference to dating after divorce: “I will never get married again,” or “I’m done saying the L word, it’s just not in the cards for me,” or “I am never going to meet someone, ever again” … Read more

rules of opposite gender friendships

Rules of Opposite Gender Friendships

Platonic friendships have always been important to me. I had many male friends when I was single, dating, married, and now divorced. But are there rules of opposite gender friendships? And how do they apply to people who are either in relationships or married? Here are 4 rules of opposite gender friendships:   1.    It’s … Read more

Ever Been to a Divorce Party?

Pilossoph (third from the left) at her Divorce Party last Thursday night   Many of you know that I am a features reporter for Sun-Times Media. So, if last Thursday’s event, the Divorced Girl Smiling Divorce Party/Fundraiser wasn’t MY party, I might have been there covering it, taking pictures and then writing the story for … Read more

divorce process

The Divorce Process: Let me Introduce You to the Judge

It’s hard to believe it’s been 17 years since I went through a divorce, but I still vividly remember how intimidated I was when it came to the divorce process. I knew nothing about how divorce worked. I had never heard the words, “litigation, mediation, statute, decree, or prove-up.” The divorce process is complicated, lengthy, … Read more

forever relationship

Why it’s Unrealistic to Expect a Forever Relationship

We all get married expecting that we are in our forever relationship; our relationship that won’t end until we die in our sleep at age 102. That sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? The reality is, that’s probably not a high statistic (unless you live in one of the blue zones.)  Before I get into why I … Read more