Jennifer Abshire and Hannah Byrne are two Savannah transplants who became fast friends when they first met fifteen years ago.
Seven businesses, six weddings, five mothers-in-law, four divorces, three kids, and two house fires later, these two have launched their latest enterprise: the” Life Is Short, Get Divorced” podcast.
After toying with the idea for a few years, the ladies finally committed to the podcast, having launched their first episode this year on March 1. The title came to the ladies naturally.
“It was sort of my catch phrase,” Byrne said. “When someone would complain about something regardless of [whether they had] a husband or not, [they] would complain about this nail salon, or [their] hair, and I’d be like, ‘life is short, get divorced.’ Divorce that s—t. You don’t need that anymore,” she remarked.
For these two, divorce is about so much more than ending a marriage. It’s really about clearing your life of the things that no longer serve you.
“We really want to change the nomenclature of the word ‘divorce’. Divorcing things from your life can be really positive and renewing,” Byrne continued.
“We really want to be a voice for people to not feel shame or guilt about getting rid of crap in your life,” Abshire added.
In the podcast, the ladies cover a wide range of topics including everything from beauty and business to shopping and sex. They have a raw, no-filter conversation style that allows them to speak candidly while being vulnerable, allowing listeners to really connect with the hosts.
“We have a lot of life experiences combined, and we are not going to filter our opinions. We will say a lot of things that people are thinking, but they can’t articulate,” Byrne said.
In the few months that the podcast has been around, they’ve already amassed a following of about 1,000 listeners, with more people tuning in every episode. It’s likely because Abshire and Byrne are just down-right fun. They’re well-rounded ladies with a wealth of experience to share and razor-sharp wits that make their exchanges particularly enjoyable. All it takes is one episode to make listeners feel like they’ve found two new friends.
“It’s really been fun, and it’s been very humbling to be stopped in the street [by people] saying they really like the podcast and how open and honest it is. . . We thought this would be fun and enjoyable but if we’re also providing something that can help someone divorce what they need to, we’d love it,” Abshire commented.
The hosts have had to divorce many things throughout the years, and some separations are easier than others. “Everyday, I try to divorce carbs,” Byrne laughed.
“I was doing a really good job at divorcing shopping [and] overspending,” Abshire expressed. “I haven’t done such a good job in the last two weeks,” she said under her breath. “I think you have to find that you have to divorce things at different times in your life.”
Byrne added, “We have found through this process that depending on the things we’re divorcing and the times we’re divorcing them, that leaves opportunities for us to marry new things [and] bring joy into our lives in other ways, with other hobbies, other friends, or other outlets. We’ve gone through these cyclical phases in terms of what we’re bringing into our lives and what we’re expunging.”
As they continue to divorce the downers and embrace positive change, they encourage others to follow them on their journey. They say there’s a lot more to come for the podcast.
“There’s some interesting future collaborations and interviews coming up that I think people will really like, from comedians, to bloggers, to [authors],” Abshire shared.
The podcast is bimonthly, with new episodes coming out at 8 a.m. every other Wednesday.
Listeners can find the podcast at lifeisshortgetdivorced.com and on most major platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Follow the podcast on Instagram @LifeIsShortGetDivorced to stay informed about upcoming episodes and updates.
