Book Nook - You Can Make It! How To Start Living Your Victorious Life

More and more couples are divorcing. Since the pandemic there has been a rise in divorces. This is leaving many newly single parents. They face numerous challenges - how to manage alone; how to re-enter dating; how to manage finances. All of this can be daunting while raising children. How can they do it? How do they manage finances? How do they navigate dating? How do they adapt to a new lifestyle?


I had a chance to interview Dr. Anita Smith, author of the newly released and critically acclaimed book, You Can Make It. Dr. Smith can discuss single with children after divorce. She can also offer tips on how to navigate dating, finances, and other issues. 

Can you share a little about your book? “You Can Make It! How To Start Living Your Victorious Life” is a motivational and inspirational book that will help women overcome trials, have strong faith, trust God, and persevere in the midst of setbacks and life’s experiences, such as: divorce or relationship breakups, financial hardships, job loss, health issues, dreams deferred, and more.

This book consists of 12 biblical principles that women can apply to “make it” through adversities; therefore, encouraging them to “don’t give up and don’t lose hope, when facing tough situations, but to “keep the faith!” The experiences, lessons, and principles can help women get unstuck from their past, heal them from their pain, hurt, and trauma, become conquerors, and live a victorious life. Embrace the journey and begin again! Free yourself…love yourself! “You Can Make It!”

What led you to write it? I was going through a divorce at the time and didn’t know HOW I was going to make it through my situation, and not knowing WHAT my future would look like; especially, after getting divorced and being a single mother, raising my daughter alone. My life was spiraling downhill, and I did not think about my future. Months later, after the divorce was final, I went to a motivational seminar and the speaker talked about writing a book and telling your story, so that resonated with me, and I decided to take a leap of faith and write my book.

What were some challenges in writing it? Some of the challenges that I faced in writing “You Can Make It: How to Start Living Your Victorious Life” were: attending my doctoral program while working a full-time job, completing homework assignments, writing my dissertation, staying up late, and meeting tight deadlines.

Why is it important for people to consider the changes their lives will undergo after a divorce? It is very important for people to prepare for and think about their life after going through a divorce. They should make informed decisions, focus on their mental health and wellness, find meaningful ways to cope with their new life, and adapt to changes in their lifestyle.

What are some often-overlooked areas of change? Some often-overlooked areas of change when going through a divorce are personality traits, mood swings, depression, loss of appetite, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, the inability to move forward, becoming stuck in their life, being isolated, and not having social relationships.

If someone who does not normally handle the finances gets divorced, how can they navigate managing money? Ask for help. Do not be ashamed to ask someone else for help. You must take control of your finances and learn to manage your money. Seek out a professional financial coach, advisor, or consultant who can provide them with financial education and the financial pathway to set attainable financial short and long term goals, get their mind right about money, get their credit right (if they want to purchase a home, car, or start a business), help them get out of debt, and develop creative ways to establish wealth and leave a legacy for their children.

When a person is ready to start dating again, how can they do so in a way that is sensitive to their children's needs as well? Take things slow, learn the ways of the potential mate and identify what you are seeking in a mate, before telling your children about him, or introducing your children to him. Once you set boundaries in dating and sure that you have met someone special and ready to move forward in your life, you can schedule a picnic or walk in the park and allow your children to meet your new mate.
What is the greatest of the challenges facing a newly divorced parent? Managing the family’s finances and learning how to become “financially savvy and independent” after going through a divorce.