Yulia Korolkova, Who Is Tired of Getting Men to Like Her

Like many women, Yulia Korolkova had always thought that happiness is unattainable without a man in her life. That life was only worth it if it was not lived for herself, but for her husband and kids. Believing that, Yulia got married thrice and ended up getting divorced every time. Only at 54, she found that she enjoys her life most when she is independent and free. Well, was she surprised!

Yulia Korolkova had always thought of herself as something of an accessory to her husband and family. She had always worked towards being a good wife. At 54, after yet another difficult breakup, Yulia found herself not somebody’s wife or soulmate, but simply that — herself. Having no man in her life — and at an age that could not exactly be called young — was a great personal failure. But this time Yulia Korolkova decided to take a risk and live for herself without thinking of what others would say or think.

“For a long time I’d been exploring the world only through men,” Yulia says. “I had always looked at myself through a man’s eyes and tried to be the person they wanted to see. Only after I’ve turned fifty, I began to understand that there are other ways to live my life. It was quite a revelation!”

Since there was no husband to take care of and the kids had grown up, she could now devote more time and effort to the things she herself found exciting. Yulia invested herself in her personal development, began meeting new people and left her teaching job to become a cultural program director. She had always wanted to do something like that, but she was a good wife and mother, who was supposed to spend her evenings treating her family to a hot dinner instead of hosting film screenings and events.

Yulia Korolkova was simply stunned by her new life — it turned out that she could be happy without a husband. Indeed, she was very happy! Yulia was no longer dependent on what men thought of her and discovered a new source of joy in living just the way she wanted. She wore the clothes she liked. She went where she felt like going. She decorated her apartment the way she wanted. Yulia loves it when her friends share her tastes and likes. However, if they don’t, it does not make her sad — she does what she likes the way she likes it, anyway. She even looks prettier than she did fifteen years ago. “Happiness makes you pretty,” she explains.

“This is the happiest and the most eventful time of my life,” she says. “Everything brings me joy: my morning walks in the woods, meeting people, spending time at home, the books I read, and the films I watch. Even cleaning my home — the first home that I have created for myself just the way I like it — makes me happy.”

Today, Yulia Korolkova is 66. She has recently found herself in love again, and the feeling is mutual.

Photo courtesy of Vladimir Yakovlev