I'm a single mother, now in my 40s, and I fairly often feel overwhelmed by my schedule. I spent most of my 30s buried in a difficult marriage, caring for a small child, working, and finishing college. My daughter is now 10, and she is busy with school, music, ballet, etc.

My husband suffered from depression among other things. He seemed to become worse over time, and I responded by becoming edgier and more difficult to live with. We tried treatment and counseling (both individual and couples), and sadly it did not work well enough for our marriage to survive.

Jewish tradition says we should combine prayer with personal effort. It seems to us that you have already begun that effort, and we applaud you for that. Despite your fear of entering into another bad relationship, your tone is one of hope and optimism. If you can channel those positive emotions, you'll be able to get past this difficult period and move on in your personal life.

In terms of time and energy, you've got a pretty full plate. Fortunately, all of the energy you are expending is directed at positive goals - rearing your daughter, expressing yourself creatively, bettering yourself economically. Why not dedicate this stage of your life to enjoying these labors and their fruits?

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