Increasingly, women in midlife are experiencing divorce and surprisingly, about 66% of midlife divorces are intitiated by the woman. Boomer women are more independent than women of their mother’s generation, often having worked in careers for much of their adult life. The children are grown or mostly grown and although they may have thought about divorce for up to ten years, it is often as they approach their fifth decade that women finally decide to end an unsatisfying marriage.

Getting back into the dating scene is something else altogether. Loneliness is a great fear for women facing divorce in midlife, but many felt lonely during their years of marriage and soon begin to enjoy their new, independent lives. Women tend to have a circle of close friends, and this assuages the loneliness. Still, at some point, both men and women after divorce will consider dating and perhaps, remarriage.

The good news is that according to a survey done by the AARP, most are finding love and happiness after divorce.

During the throes of a difficult divorce, it’s easy to assume that love will never resurface. But it does. The survey found that more than 75 percent of women in their 50s enjoyed a serious, exclusive relationship after their divorce—often within two years. And 81 percent of men in their 50s did the same. In fact, 26 percent of all respondents were dating before their divorce was final.

Read more about the survey at the AARP website.