If It’s Not a Hell Yes, It’s a No

This week, Bethany and Hillary welcome Laura, an aerospace engineer, mom of two boys, and one of the original members of the Sincerely, Divorced community, joining from Fort Worth, Texas.

After 17 years together, Laura shares the moment her story took a turn nobody saw coming: the woman her ex-husband was seeing became her best friend. Together, the two compared notes, recognized the patterns, and chose themselves. Laura talks honestly about red flags, perfectionism, the pull of “potential,” and the fear of starting over.

She also shares how therapy rebuilt her self-worth, how an unexpected friendship led her to faith, and why telling her story is how she lets go of shame. This conversation is full of laughter, real talk, and the kind of clarity only an aerospace engineer can deliver. In this episode:

How Laura and her ex met in Atlanta, and the ten years before marriage
Perfectionism, “not wanting to be wrong,” and loving someone’s potential
The conversation that introduced her to her ex’s girlfriend, and the friendship that followed
Therapy as the turning point for rediscovering her self-worth
Co-parenting as the rule follower when your ex treats the divorce decree as a suggestion ∙ Faith, hope, and trusting a bigger plan as a self-described planner
Laura’s advice: get clear on your values, and let them guide every decision

Quote of the episode: “If it’s not a hell yes, then it’s a no.” – Laura

Resources mentioned: ∙ Five Areas of Healing by Dr. Zeb (mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and financial), available on his website.

This episode is sponsored by Ken Venick of Apex Home Loans

Divorce brings big decisions about home: keeping the house, buying out a spouse, refinancing into your own name, or buying a place that’s fully yours. Ken Venick, Senior Mortgage Banker with Apex Home Loans, helps clients through every step with clear guidance and real care. Ken offers purchase loans, refinancing, renovation loans, reverse mortgages, and conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo loan options, and he has closed over $1.5 billion in loans over his career.

Produced by: Tony Kelly, Baltimore Podcast Studio

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Love the show? Follow, rate, and review Sincerely, Divorced on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and send this episode to a friend who needs to hear Laura’s story today. Sincerely, Divorced is for educational and entertainment purposes and offers general information only.

For legal, financial, or mental health guidance, please consult a licensed professional.

If It’s Not a Hell Yes, It’s a No

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