Lonely Moms Club #4

The Divorce Edition

Jun 01, 2025

DIARY OF A LONELY MOM

I can never fully escape my divorce—even after 15 years, another marriage, two kids, and a new house. Even if I’ve completely moved on with my life. I tried to update my passport and one of the questions you need to fill out online is the date of your divorce. Pretty awkward considering my husband was the one reading the questions. Extremely annoying because I totally forgot the date and spent hours searching my house for the paperwork. I may have gotten divorced in my 20s to avoid wasting the rest of my life with the wrong person. But I wasted hours on a Saturday digging through my old Facebook posts, Life Events, and searching my emails to see if I ever posted that date. I even resorted to trying to do background checks of myself online (if you know a legit free one, tell me)! I’ll get the information eventually and mark the date recurring on my calendar as the day all my dreams began to come true.

EXPERT INTERVIEW

Olivia Howell, Founder, Fresh Starts Registry

Fresh Starts Registry is the world’s first divorce registry and the premier divorce support network and education platform. Co-founded by sisters Olivia Howell and Genevieve “Jenny” Dreizen, the idea was born from lived experience. After Olivia’s divorce in 2019, she found herself rebuilding a home and a life from scratch—with no guidebook, no celebration, and no support. She and Jenny realized that while society provides registries and rituals for weddings and babies, there was no equivalent support for people starting over after divorce. That realization sparked the creation of Fresh Starts Registry: a bold reimagining of how we support individuals navigating the end of a marriage.

Built on the belief that divorce is not a failure—but a brave and life-changing transition—Fresh Starts Registry offers everything a person needs to begin again. The platform combines curated divorce registries for essential home items with access to a national network of vetted experts, including divorce coaches, therapists, lawyers, financial advisors, and real estate agents. It also offers free educational tools, including downloadable guides, workbooks, and one-on-one support consultations. Every piece of the platform is designed to help individuals feel empowered, informed, and supported throughout the divorce process. It is also home to award-winning and top-ranked podcasts including Divorce Happens, A Fresh Story, and Jenny Says So, which offer real stories, expert interviews, and honest conversations about what it means to start over.

What inspired you to start the registry?
After my divorce in 2019, I found myself in a quiet house that no longer felt like home. Half the furniture was gone, my sense of self was unraveling, and yet I still had to keep going—for my kids, for myself. I remember staring at a blank wall where a mirror used to hang and thinking: “Why do we only celebrate beginnings like weddings and babies, but not brave, necessary restarts like divorce?” I called my sister Jenny and said, “There has to be a better way.” That moment sparked the idea for Fresh Starts Registry. It’s the world’s first divorce registry—but more than that, it’s a platform for emotional and practical support. Having grown up in a family of divorce, and I was a work-from-home mom running a six-figure marketing agency, I still had no idea where to turn during my divorce. I wanted to build the very thing I didn’t have: a system that helps people rebuild not just their homes, but their hearts.

How many moms have you helped?
Since starting Fresh Starts, I’ve had the honor of personally supporting hundreds of women—and some men—through one-on-one divorce resource consults over Zoom. These sessions are always free, and they’re designed to help people get clarity on their next steps and connect them with vetted experts like mediators, therapists, co-parenting coaches, and financial advisors. I talk to people before, during, and after divorce, and each conversation is deeply personal. We don’t collect user data because we believe in respecting privacy and emotional safety. People find us through word-of-mouth, social media, press, and our podcast—and they come to us because they feel seen. I know what our community needs because I’ve heard it, directly and consistently, from the people living it. Every message, DM, and Zoom call informs the way we shape our platform.

How did you feel at the beginning of your divorce vs. how you feel now? Can you share a bit of your journey?
At the beginning, I was heartbroken and angry! Even though I had a successful career and two amazing kids, I felt like I had failed—at marriage, at family, at life. I was Googling things like “How to get divorced without money,” trying to figure out how to stay afloat. I was scared, even though I had resources and support. But I took it one step at a time. I cried a lot. I worked while my kids slept. I leaned on my sister. I moved my body every day, even just walking on the treadmill. Slowly, I started to rebuild—not only my home, but my confidence, my voice, and my future. Now, I feel grounded in a way I never did before. I know who I am. I know what I’m capable of. And the fact that I get to help other people find their footing too? That’s the most meaningful work I’ve ever done.

FOLLOW OLIVIA

Instagram: @freshstartsregistry

Threads: @oliviahowell

Get her free ebooks: What to Consider When You're Considering Divorce, 250+ Questions to Ask Your Divorce Support Team

I loved Strong Girl Nam-Soon so much that I’m re-watching with my husband. It’s one of those must-see shows that really ties in everything great about Korean drama. I also finally started Welcome to Samdal-Ri. I really like the storyline of a photographer who escaped her small town life in Jeju and chased her dreams in Seoul—but then it all comes crashing down after a scandal and she finds herself back home where her first love lives. The supporting cast, including her two sisters—one divorced and one a young mother/ widow—also have storylines that we want to follow.

AUDIO CRUSH

Acclaimed Korean indie rock act The Rose dropped its new album, WRLD. The vocals really take the spotlight this time around. The tracks sound mellow but the lyrics pack a punch. There are messages of unity and hope. So far, my favorite track is "Ticket to the Sky" but I'm loving this inspirational video for "Tomorrow!" The WRLD performance concert on YouTube is awesome. The concept of the album really comes to life through the audience of children creating art on stage while the band plays. It really ties into the concept of this album being about our future.

So excited to see The Rose on tour in the U.S. this summer!

Listen to The Rose on Spotify. “Back to Me” is one of my all-time faves! Even my kids sing it.

Trash the Dress: Stories of Celebrating Divorce in Your 20s: At age 28, I found myself suddenly jobless, divorcing, and rebuilding my life. I cried … and then I conquered. Featuring interviews with 70 young and divorced women worldwide, this book is a must-read for not only young divorcées, but also all twenty-something women considering tying the knot. Learn why young women got hitched and then ditched, about their daily struggles, and most importantly, how they’re celebrating their divorces. Follow along as participants trash their wedding dresses, get transformational tattoos, host divorce parties, check adventures off their bucket lists, reflect on lessons learned and even fall in love again. Tapping into the professional expertise of participants, Trash the Dress: Stories of Celebrating Divorce in Your 20s spotlights top getaway destinations from a travel agent, healing advice from a therapist, steps for rocking the divorcée title from a lawyer, and meditative methods from a yogi.

Trash the Dress: Celebratory Divorce Coloring and Healing Workbook is an official companion to the acclaimed book, Trash the Dress: Stories of Celebrating Divorce in your 20s. Use this fun book as art and journaling therapy as you move on from marriage. Filled with affirmations, fun graphics, and more to help you live your best life happily EVEN after. Makes a great divorce gift, divorce party favor, or activity for girls nights too! Divorce is not the end of your life—it's the beginning of the life you were meant to lead. Start your new journey here.