Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, "I don't even recognize myself anymore"?
Life changes, especially a divorce, can leave us feeling like a stranger in our own story.

In this first episode of our Tools for a New Chapter series, Pat invites you to take the gentle yet powerful step of reconnecting with the real you. If you've been pouring into everyone else and forgotten what you need, this episode is a reminder: you matter, too.

What if the next chapter of your life starts with simply remembering who you are?

Journal Prompts Mentioned in the Episode:

1. Who am I—apart from the roles I've played?
   (Try finishing this sentence three times: "I am someone who…")

2. What are 3 things I used to love doing—but haven't done in a long time?
   (Which one could I try this week?)

3. When was the last time I felt truly like myself?
   (What was I doing? Who was I with?)

4. How do I want to feel at this time next year?
   (Name the emotion first. Then brainstorm what small steps can get you there.)

5. What's one gentle promise I can make to myself today?
   (Write it as if you were writing to a friend you love deeply.)

"You're not starting from scratch, you're starting from experience."- Pat

Key Takeaways -

• Life transitions can make us forget our identity, but reconnecting is possible, using tools like stillness, curiosity, and reflection.
• There's a difference between being alone and choosing healthy solitude. Learning to enjoy your own company is part of healing.
• Asking "Who am I now?" is brave—and it leads to real growth and clarity.
  

Useful links -

📘 Get your copy of the book: Rebuilding Your Life After a Gray Divorce

🔗 More silver resources here: patfenner.me

• Leave a message for me - I'd love to hear from you! https://www.speakpipe.com/PatFenner

Attention Adult CHildren of Divorce (ACoD): What if your parents' divorce—whether it happened when you were a toddler or when you had toddlers of your own—is still shaping your relationships today? In this episode, Marriage Coach Meisha Marshall opens our eyes to the hidden impact of parental divorce on adult children, and introduces her empowering new course, Divorce Cycle Disruptor. If you've ever wondered why you sabotage good relationships or struggle with setting boundaries, this conversation might just be your turning point.

"Even if your parents' divorce seemed amicable or 'a long time ago,' it still shaped how you love, argue, and connect." — Meisha Marshall

• How does my parents' divorce still affect me now, even as an adult?
  
  

• What is the "divorce cycle," and how can I break it in my own relationships?
  
  

• Why do I keep repeating the same relationship patterns, even when I try not to?
  
  

• How can I help my adult children process my gray divorce?
  
  

• What does healthy communication look like in a marriage?

Meisha shares the heart behind her new course, Divorce Cycle Disruptor, and walks us through how unresolved family dynamics can echo into our marriages, parenting, and personal growth. With humor, clarity, and heartfelt wisdom, they unpack what it means to stop repeating unhealthy relationship cycles—and how to finally chart your own path forward. Whether you're single, married, or divorced, this episode is an invitation to rewrite the story you've inherited.

• Learn more about the Divorce Cycle Disrupter - with a free call to Meisha! - https://renewmindset.com/divorce-cycle-disrupter-discovery-call

• 💬 SpeakPipe – How has this series helped you begin to craft a brighter future for yourself? Leave me a message and tell me about it!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/PatFenner

Welcome to the final episode of my three-part mini-series, Unraveling the Silver Knot: Gray Divorce and the Family Web

You've been the caregiver, the peacekeeper, the glue holding it all together. But now, after the divorce, everything feels… different. So where do you fit in the family now? In today's episode, we're talking about stepping into a new role—not as the one who holds the past, but as the woman who leads with wisdom into the future. It's time to reclaim your voice, your influence, and your vision—as the matriarch of your own story.

"A matriarch isn't someone who has it all figured out—she's someone who chooses

strength, love, and dignity, even when things are messy."

- Pat Fenner

• Why becoming the matriarch is about presence, not power

• Letting go of guilt and embracing your evolving identity

• How to influence your family through emotional steadiness

• Simple ways to start rewriting your family legacy with grace

• A vision of your future that includes joy, confidence, and connection

What's one way you can show up differently this week—as the woman you're becoming? Take a moment to reflect, journal, or share with a trusted friend.

🎥 The phrase I mentioned - "You is kind, you is smart, you is important" - is spoken by the character Aibileen Clark in the movie and book "The Help".

📄 Grab the FREE PDF: Four Simple Ways to Reconnect With You!

💬 SpeakPipe – How has this series helped you begin to craft a brighter future for yourself? Leave me a message and tell me about it!→ https://www.speakpipe.com/PatFenner