Going through a divorce, getting back on your feet, finding hope again, and getting yourself out there isn’t easy. But it is what makes you a stronger individual and a better mother.

At some point you get back to the person you used to be — with your aspirations and dreams, hobbies, spending time with friends, taking care of your well-being, and improving yourself — which also means being in public more, communicating with people, and meeting new people.

With a social life, however, comes the possibility of rejection. And even when we think we’re stronger than ever and more independent than before, being rejected might evoke painful memories from the past or cost us our newly gained self-esteem.

Dealing with rejection after divorce is something you should prepare for mentally. Things don’t always go according to the plan, and life surprises us more often than we’d like.