How do you handle being pressured into a relationship you don’t want and why does society stigmatize women who choose to be single? At times society tends to be outspoken  when it comes to seeing people engaging in different life choices and that includes being single. It seems as though, whatever cultural background you come from, being divorced and choosing single-hood can make those around  you scratch their heads a bit. In this episode, I sit down with Mai Abdeljaber, a first generation Palestinian-American writer, editor, content creator and media professional. She earned her degree in Communications, Media Studies and Psychology and is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Psychology.  The topic of divorce is no stranger to this podcast, but today’s conversation will peel back a few more layers that are in dire need of attention. Mai and I each  delve into our own personal life journey post divorce and the unsolicited advice we’ve received from others, including strangers, about how to move forward. When strangers find out that Mai has chosen to be single for the last couple of years, their match making skills take center stage.  So why is being single viewed as a shortcoming and why aren’t we talking about the cultural constructs that are to blame at times when it comes to the demise of certain relationships? In this conversation, we discuss the impacts of divorce and how it can make you question everything you know about love and even yourself. We dive into the stark contrasts between the life choices we are making versus that of our parents and how it’s not a marker of failure if our lives do not  mirror theirs.  Most importantly we discuss the complexities of how men have been conditioned to view relationships,  the pressures that they face themselves and regardless, if you’re single, married or divorced, this conversation touches on the various family dynamics and how they affect the way that  we navigate today’s relationships. Enjoy and follow the pod on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered Follow Mai Abdeljaber on Instagram: @mai_abdel Check out Mai's articles here: Click here