‘I feel like I did in my 20s’
Jane Gray, 46, lives in Cheltenham with her children, Luca, 14, Corinna, 13, and Frankie, 10. She runs Artrocks (artrocks.co.uk). My 40th birthday was a huge turning point for me, because I realised I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in an unhappy marriage. When the children came along, both myself and my husband decided I’d leave my job and be a stay-at-home mum. I’d happily devoted myself to that, but, after a decade, I was desperate to get my independence back. I’d lost part of who I was and being financially dependent on someone else never sat well with me. I spent my late thirties trying to make things work, but we had grown apart. I was 41 and training for a marathon when I had my light-bulb moment. Long hours running on my own gave me a lot of time to think about what I wanted. I couldn’t carry on being unhappy and, days later, I ended things. It felt like a weight had lifted and, while telling the children is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, I have no regrets. I’m a different person now and feel like I did in my 20s. I run two businesses and I’m more driven, confident and happier than ever. Louise Redknapp stayed at home to raise a family and I get why she wants to do something for herself. Getting out there and living life to the full doesn’t make you any less of a mum. I hope that someday I’ll be able to show my children what it’s like to be in a happy relationship.
‘I’m driven, confident and happier than ever’