Hot Mess To High Value: The Glow-Up No One Talks About
There’s this idea that when your marriage ends, you end too. That the woman you were—wife, partner, nurturer—somehow loses her value the moment she’s on her own.
But here’s the truth I wish someone had told me sooner: Divorce doesn’t erase you. It reveals you.
When I was deep in it—heartbroken, confused, constantly questioning myself, I never imagined I’d look back and say this, but here we are: That chapter ending? It was the beginning of the glow-up of my life. Not just the outer glow (though let’s be honest, peace looks good on me), I’m talking about the inner shift. The kind that happens when you stop living for someone else and start living for you.
For me, that meant doing things I never would’ve done in my marriage.
I got my MBA, because I wanted more. More knowledge, more leadership, more power in rooms I had every right to be in.
I said yes to a big, scary leadership role, the kind that stretched me, challenged me, and showed me what I was truly made of.
I moved to Manhattan Beach, a city that reflected who I was becoming: bold, bright, and full of possibility.
And most importantly, I got curious about who I really was. Not the version of me that was “the wife of,” or “the supportive one,” or the one who kept shrinking to keep the peace. But the woman underneath all of that: Caring. Fun. Smart as hell. A little spicy. And finally, free.
Because here’s what no one talks about: When you walk away from something that wasn’t serving you, your whole life starts to shift in your favor.
You begin doing things that fill your cup—just because they make you feel good.
You start saying no to things that don’t align, without guilt.
You surround yourself with people who lift you higher.
And slowly, you stop asking, “Who am I without him?” and start saying, “Damn, I really like who I’m becoming.”
This isn’t about revenge. It’s about rebirth.
You’re not here to bounce back, you’re here to level up. To move forward with clarity, confidence, and maybe a little chaos (the fun kind). So if you’re in the middle of it, crying on the bathroom floor, doubting yourself, wondering if you’ll ever feel whole again, this is your reminder: You're not broken. You're rebuilding. And babe, the foundation you're laying now? It’s going to be everything.
Cheers to the new you,
Kori
