'I'm 43 with two kids. I just quit my job to find love.'

I quit my job to find love. Well, that wasn't the original plan. It started more like your typical meltdown, juggling life and all that. But now, as I lie on my bed, next to an ever-growing pile of laundry, I've decided it's time to focus on love. The laundry can wait.

For the past five years (at least), my focus has been on building a family — or more specifically, having a baby. And I've done it! Actually, I've had two! I poured my time, energy, and savings into creating these two little miracles who are the absolute loves of my life.

Without a doubt, they're the best thing I've ever done. Should I have tried to focus on finding a life partner and creating a family sooner? Probably.

But here we are. Almost 44, a single mum of two, and now, I'm embarking on what feels like an ambitious journey to find love.

Watch: If you're starting your online dating journey, watch this first. Post continues below.

Choosing to pursue motherhood on my own was far from an easy decision, and getting pregnant wasn't simple either. Like many women, hitting that 35-year milestone brought a wave of pressure to find "the right" partner — but instead of letting it weigh me down, I chose to take control and go it alone. That was just the first of many big decisions ahead.

How would I make it happen? Donor sperm? Local or Overseas? A known donor? Through a clinic? At home?

After years of navigating life-altering choices, heartbreaks, and setbacks — not to mention a global pandemic — I finally got there. And then came that unforgettable moment: the joy and disbelief of seeing two little blue lines appear on the test. It was real. I was pregnant. And very soon after, morning sickness made sure I knew it!

Quitting my job was another big decision — and strangely enough, it ended up being the turning point for me to realise I wanted to find love. It was a great job, just not the right one for where I am in life now. After making the admittedly impulsive decision to leave, I dove headfirst into the job market. But it didn't take long to realise I was about to repeat the same cycle, unless I hit pause and took some time to really think it through.

I turned to journaling, and that's where the lightbulb moment hit: alongside finding the right career path, I also wanted to find someone to share life with. I realised that rather than rushing to find a new job, I should focus on finding love.

My kids give me endless, unconditional love — but they're not a substitute for romantic love.

And, ideally, they'll grow up and head off to build their own lives. While I do tend to crash and burn most evenings, it would be lovely to have someone to crash and burn with. Someone to have real, adult conversations with. A reason to get dressed up and go out.

Kate is embarking on what feels like an ambitious journey to find love. Image: Supplied.

Of course, there are a few hurdles in my way...

First off, I'm older now. Having my first baby at 40 definitely accelerated the ageing process. I know there are plenty of women my age who look fabulous and youthful —unfortunately, that's not me.

At least, not right now. So, I'm going to make a concerted effort to up my game. I'm going to need to if I want to catch someone's eye again. But where to even start? Just thinking about all the upkeep makes my head hurt.

I'm sure all new mothers can relate to the drop in self-care standards once you've had kids — you're lucky if you even get a shower. But now that my youngest has turned one, and I have two days per week of freedom (thanks to quitting my job), I have no excuse not to invest some time in myself.

Although, I kind of need the job to fund the pedicure and eyebrow shaping... so it's a bit of a catch-22. At least I can start small with DIY efforts at home. Just not with my hair. After a postpartum DIY disaster last year, I learned my lesson there.

My second hurdle? I now live in a regional town, so I don't have easy access to those hip bars I used to frequent in my single city life. Am I going to meet someone nice at the playground? I hope so. That would be very convenient.

So, my main option is online dating, which just makes me tired — probably more tired than my toddlers do. It's been five years since I last dipped my toes into online dating, and I haven't missed it.

The thought of getting back into that whole cycle — photos, chit-chat, ghosting, letdowns, awkward meet-ups — makes my heart sink. But if it means I can find someone, I'll give it another go.

The rest of the hurdles are the fact that I have two very young children—one and three. I'm going to have to shake off the tiredness of motherhood and get my mojo back. And, I'll need to brush up on world events and adult TV shows — nobody wants to go on a date with someone who only wants to discuss sleep schedules and the latest episode of Peppa Pig.

Now that I've recently joined the full-time stay-at-home mum crew, I've taken the first (tiny) steps toward tackling my "dating to-do list"— I have a plan.

The other night, I signed up for online dating. Let's just say... the profile needs a bit of tweaking. For starters, I desperately need a new recent photo.

Next step: actually talking to men. Revolutionary, I know. I'm aware weekday conversations during kinder hours might be a stretch for some, but I figure starting the chats can at least get things rolling.

But here's the bigger part of the plan — it's all about me. Yep, self-indulgent, but also super necessary. I'm slowly reconnecting with who I am beyond just being "mum." I've dusted off the spiritual toolkit: affirmations, manifesting, and a return to the things that light me up (outside of the kiddos)— kundalini yoga, cooking, meditating, gardening... all those nourishing things I've had zero time or energy for over the past few years.

That said, I do need to give myself a deadline for rejoining the workforce — my credit card can't fund a months-long dating sabbatical! But for now, I'm genuinely excited to give this whole thing a proper go.

It's going to be a busy time. Work can wait. The laundry can wait.

Wish me luck. xx

Feature Image: Supplied.