How we survived DIVORCE AFTER 40

More and more midlife women are filing for divorce, and for many, it’s the best decision they ever made

- KATREEN HARDT

People in their 40s are the most likely to divorce, according to research. The impact of children, the influence of peers and a change in expectations are just a few of the reasons so many of us find ourselves at a marital crossroads.  And while divorce can be upsetting for everyone, it can sometimes be the start of an exciting new chapter and a journey to finding true happiness. We meet three women who say they have no regrets after throwing all of their post-divorce energy into a new venture…

‘BEING SINGLE AGAIN WAS A HUGE ADJUSTMENT’
Brigette Bard, 50, is the CEO of BioSure Global.
Like everyone who gets married, when my husband and I wed in August 1994, I thought we’d be together forever. We spent many happy years as a couple and had our three children, now 27, 24 and 22. But as the children got older, my husband and I started to go through spells of not speaking with one another.

When our eldest left home for university, I felt a massive shift in my emotions. I suddenly felt incredibly lonely, despite still having my husband and other two children at home. I realised then that I’d been unhappy for years, but the children had distracted me from my own emotions. I’d become detached from my marriage, and in 2016 I filed for divorce.

Gaining confidence