Following divorce after 25years (amicable!) changing my name to my maiden name was the best thing I ever did. A lot of admin involved but I felt so liberated and made such a difference to me accepting my relationship was over and I could start a new chapter in my life. All the best xx

Totally get you. My loneliest time was in my hell marriage. I was in relationships all my life from 13yrs old. When I moved abroad (Germany) to start my PhD I had just become single. ..but not for long.. I was soon in a new relationship. But after a while we both realised we were better as friends so we stopped the partnership part of our relationship. He told me I needed to learn to "enjoy my own company" ie learn to be alone. I realized he was right and I I promised myself "no new relationships until I enjoyed my own company" . After a while, I learnt and really loved being alone.. I still had a vibrant social life meeting friends for sport and social stuff.. but also enjoyed doing sport and social stuff alone (eg going alone to dinner with a book, followed by the cinema, traveling etc) ... this was good because during my PhD I travelled alone with my PhD work all over the world and when somewhere, I took the opportunity to use my vacations to enjoy travel and experiences where I was for work... I kept this up in my jobs and even when in a relationship (with my now ex husband) until I had kids. Twice, I also went back-packing for longer periods all around New Zealand and Australia. I used back-packer buses transport systems and youth hostels. This way it was cheaper so I had more money to travel longer and further and money for experiences eg bungee jumping, white water rafting, caving, surfing, sailing, whale watching and so much more. Traveling this way, you get to know others and are actually NEVER alone. You separate, but meet up later somewhere along your journey etc. Even on shorter trips you meet people eg I had one with my work to the Bahamas... so I added on 5 days before my work started to take holidays. I went straight to a local bar the first night, met several interesting people including 2 young journalists from New York (there for work). .. we got chatting and ended up renting a boat and guide together to go snorkeling on the reef and then another day we hired mopeds and spent a day traveling around the island and the nearby island connected my a bridge. I visited the "shark lady" with them which they did for their work. I went to a local dance club with the company I used for snorkling trips etc. When working in St Petersburg, Russia I paid a guide (a friend of a colleague/friend) to drive me around to places I wanted to visit outside the city on my first visit. In the city I just did stuff alone, but also did things with a friend I had made through work.. so we went to dinner, the ballet, opera etc together. What I noticed is if you talk to people when traveling alone.. opportunities just happen. Now I am divorced, and unfortunately due to kids and career change (due to kids), I don't have the freedom, time or money for travelling when I want to or where I want to (vaccination time is absorbed by school holidays with the kids). However, since my divorce I have started to do small trips away eg a lots to the Netherlands to get time by the sea. Luckily over my life I have "collected" friends all over the world, so I know when I can travel further afield again, even if I travel alone, I have friends and family I can visit, meet and spend time with while travelling... this is only because I actively stay in touch with everyone. I turned 50 last year and am determined to start planning and saving for other trips I can do alone on weekends/vacation time when I don't have my kids. I want to go to Madeira..I have suggested to my close friend to come, but I will do it alone, if she doesn't come in the end (she is still married). Just go for it and travel... it is the ONE thing in life I have NEVER once regreted spending time and money on. It was always a great investment X. When backpacking in Australia I got sick (a cold), so decided to get off the tour to stay in a youth hostel a few more days to recover (then catch a train to pick up the tour a few days later down the road). I met a retired British lady also backpacking around Australia on her own.. we spent time together. I found her SO inspirational and always thought.. I hope I'm like her when (and if) I get to her age... thinking of her helps keep my focused on what I want now I am "getting older." I kept my maiden name due to my work/scientific publications. But I added my (now ex) husbands surname due to having kids.. it is easier at boarder controls when traveling because the officers can see my kids and I have the same surname.

Go girl. Changing your name is a good sign of moving on, being comfortable who you are. Love it. Exciting times ahead👏👏

Girrrrrllllll change your name! This is YOU and your life. I love how intuitive you are with your choices and this one is no different. If it feels right, it’s right ❤

I feel excited for you too ... changing your name, it will feel very liberating. 🍾 Hope is such a happy little pup. 🐕❤

This vlog made me all fluttery and happy at every turn! So many of my favorite things- ocean, Maddie, tiny cabins, you! I'm so happy that you've made this decision about changing your name back- I can tell how happy it's made you! Thank you for sharing your lovely mini trip xx

There is something in making changes just for you. Glad to hear you have made the right decision for you. I've been married twice sadly and I didn't want to go back to my maiden name, so I took the name of my imaginary childhood friend 😊

In the country where I live (Lithuania) you can tell if woman is married or not by our last name. So a father, a mother and a daughter all would have a different ending to their surname. I've never changed my last name after I got married: partially because we never made it a big deal and partially because I don't like the idea of getting rid of my original last name. As my husband once said (we were not married at that time) - you have to have a wife in your heart not in your passport.

You are completely right to change your name back if that’s how you feel. Our names are a big part of our identity and we have to be comfortable with how we are named. I changed my name back to my maiden name after my divorce and, like you, it felt the absolute right thing to do. As an only child, I have always been irritated with people equating being lonely with being alone. I too have been at my loneliest when in a relationship with my first husband. You can choose to be alone but surround yourself with people (a vibrant cafe, an exercise class etc) and connect with friends and acquaintances who have the same values as you. Having dozens of friends/family members does not necessarily = feeling happy. If you are happy with yourself, then you will not be lonely. As always, thank you for another thoughtful and inspiring video. Best wishes

Absolutely right to change your name. All ready for a new year . Well done.

Lovely St Ives, my home for 24 years has sadly changed so much, due to second home ownership. The town now has 75% second homeowners, so the community has diminished as a result. If only we could turn the clock backwards.

I’m excited for you with your name change. Your maiden name is beautiful. I changed my name when I got married, and the change felt like a new beginning/opportunity to reinvent myself and shed baggage, which was freeing.

I live in Cornwall and have never looked back. I follow Madeleine she is such a lovely person. You both look such good friends, a perfect friend match! Love where you chose to stay, so tasteful. A really lovely vlog Jessica, thank you. 🦋

Choosing your name must be the ultimate in you choosing you. You took your time. Now you can enjoy knowing that decision sits well with you and feels right.

Wow! Two of my favourite You Tubers in one vlog, ❤️ St Ives is beautiful and solo travel is food for thought. Thank you for inspiring me.

that place is so cute that you stayed at!! So lovey that you got to have a little catch up with Maddie x

Lovely to see you and Maddie together. We are lucky to have so many beautiful places to visit in the UK. 🙏❤

I really do think that although we chat on line etc, it is by no means a substitute for a hug from a friend and just chilling on a sofa, we need proper connection and when we get long period of times where we have no touch we are at our most vulnerable. I am making a lot of effort to see my family and friends, having just been on a long vacation it made me realise how i have missed out on so much, covid, long work hours shifts and financial restraint, but i am not going to let those things dictate to me ever again, life is simply put too short and no more excuses. Thank you for sharing love cornwall just the best thanks Jess and hope

Yes, take your name back! I will keep mine as well no matter what my admirers might think or wish 😊 You look beautiful ❤

Oh wow !! Your words resonates " loneliest point was in a relationships " totally agree and felt the same !! My single life is a free life x

I solo trip all the time, my wife stays home for peace and quiet and I go to Cornwall, overall its fine you get used to it and its great exploring especially walking. In the summer Cornwall/Devon is much more difficult as its so very busy and it can get uncomfortable being alone in a restaurant for breakfast or Dinner (buy a newspaper it really helps!!) On average Cornwall is the wettest place in Britain so don't be fooled about sunny and blue skies! Also to those who think its the land of milk and honey and will move, this is 101 a holiday destination. away from the beaches (where you would live) is massively impoverished, it is the joint poorest county in Europe so bear that in mind, research before you decide to move. Carbis bay where Jessica visited is lovely and St Ives (good luck in the summer though :P ) Gwithian across the way from Carbis bay is a 3 mile beach with lovely sand and a lighthouse!

Thank you for taking us on your travels. I would love to visit your part of the world one day. Loved that little place you stayed in!! The wood tones with the cream are so beautiful. Your name change sounds really nice, feels like an empowering name for some reason.

You don’t need anyone’s approval to do something that makes you happy. Trust in yourself and you will always make the right decisions for you ☺️

Thanks for the trip to Cornwall. It’s lovely seeing the English countryside. You look very happy and it’s so nice to be taken along on your journey. Congratulations 🎉 on your name change. You can tell the decision is right, it shows on your face. ❤

What a beautiful vlog and loved the cabin! And very excited for your big change 🙂

Great to see You & Maddie having a great afternoon in St Ives. You lucky Girls. Cornwall is just the best anytime. ❤

Lovely to see you in my favourite part of the world where I will be spending Christmas and plan to live in 4ish years (and counting!) ❤️ Perfect decision about your name change. Onwards and upwards and enjoy this exciting new chapter! X

This place in Cornwall looks absolutely amazing. I would love to stay there 🤩 Yes, "lagom" is a very Swedish word 😄 We use it all the time. Everything is "lagom", meaning not to much or to little, not to good or to bad. Everything is something in between, in moderation I guess. Of course you should change your name if that's within your core values and identity. We all know you anyway ☺ I also follow Madeleine after you recommendations before, so it was fun to see you two together. Love your videos. Always looking forward to see them. Lots of love from Sweden ❤

Loved this video and so enjoyed seeing Maddie....I follow her too and think she is such a lovely person. The views of the sea were so pretty. Thanks for sharing all of this.

What’s in a name? An awful lot…. or so I’ve discovered! I’ve reverted back to my maiden name this year and I really wish I’d done so years ago. I was married to a man who was abusive and controlling. It’s a long story with many layers I won’t go into but 4 years ago I was so lucky to find the most amazing partner who I am marrying next summer. I kept my married name primarily because I didn’t want my two sons to feel I was distancing myself from them. However, the desire to completely cut free from a painful past and not to say my vows with my ex husband’s name brought me to the decision that it had to happen. Everyone completely understands my decision and I wasn’t prepared for just how liberating it feels. Lots of love xx

Sounds like 100% the right decision on the name. 💚👌

Hi Jessica. Been following u for a few months now. I feel I am on similar journey to you. I broke up with long term bf and have spent past couple of years on my own, living alone and learning to be on my own. I agree it's an important thing to do. It gets lonely but I feel proud of myself for having the courage to try and do what is best for me even in moments of doubt. I used to really yearn for children but I'm not bothered either way now which is truly a massive achievement for me to be able to say that. Thanks for your vlogs.

Beautiful set up and such a nice clip of you with Madeleine 😊

Aww Jessica....the little trip...break away recharges your batteries... X so glad you got to met up with Madeline...I follow her too...and love her..home, and her food recipes... all-round..and I'm so pleased for you that you are happy to go back to your maiden name...it's yours...and it's your decision... well done.. take care on your journey home...see you. On the next one..😊👍💐

I changed my name back when I got divorced……when I did remarry (years later) 😱 I kept my given name. Wasn’t given it up for anyone. It’s not complicated, relatively simple. Good for you🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🥰. Positive love Olive Appleby

St Ives is my favourite place on earth. That cabin in Carbis bay is stunning. Lovely video Jessica. Your videos are super.

Lovely video! I think changing back to your maiden name makes a lot of sense and it's good that you feel at peace and happy doing that! You should check out Pott Candles, they are beautiful ceramic, refillable candles and they also have match pots like the ones you saw in Cornwall xx

Aww an amazing video thank you Jessica, so lovely to see you and Madeline meeting up. I've lived my holidays to Cornwall and going out of season definitely has a different feel. With regards to changing your name, you've come so far on your journey and it seems to be coming at the right time for you❤️. I married 9 years ago but I chose not to take my husband's name (much to my father in law's extreme annoyance 😉). I married my husband for him and not to acquire a name change, lol. Love your channel Jessica and always look forward to seeing your videos and your writing too. Will look forward to seeing little changes to the cottage when you head back home, I've definitely taken inspiration from your home and this little cabin xxxx

Jessica such a good vlog. Yours are diverse and fresh and so interesting. Love your work and thank you for all the effort involved xx

Also from an area of the Peak District and visit Cornwall annually, as its our home from home. We always say Cornwall will be our next move (have to wait a few years with our children coming up for high school) but the coast line and friends we have there are so tempting. Must have been really lovely to meet up with Maddie, I follow her channel as well. My subscribed list is quite small and think you are the only 2 UK bloggers I do follow. Lovely to see you both x

Hi Jessica, so enjoyed this vlog, my heart has always been in Cornwall for many years, we are planning on moving there next year. I've been a solo traveller for many many years now, i have friends in Spain and see them every year, i just enjoy travelling on my own, I can be my true authentic self when i'm on my own. so pleased you've made the decision to change your name, i can see you're really excited and determined to do it. xx

Loved this vlog Jess snd the gorgeous place you stayed in. Just my cup of tea. I love Hygge and Lagom. I honestly don’t mind what your name is ha ha. It’s you I love watching 💕💖💗x

I'm married and didn't change my name. Your original name sounds very cool. Congratulations for making your decision.

I change my name back after my divorce and my advice to my daughter is if you get married don’t change your name. Mine was so challenging because I am English but now live in Australia and the states and federal government required so much from me. It was hard almost like migrating again with all the paper work but I’m so pleased I have done it. Go for it Jessica Knight sounds great.

I think part of the problem now is that social media gives us a feeling of connectedness, but isn't actually connection. Kind of like eating a Snickers bar gives you a feeling of having satisfied your hunger but you haven't really nourished your body. For instance I feel connected to you, because you have shared some of your life and wisdom with us which has added so much value to my life, but you don't even know me. And even if you were to watch my videos and feel connected to me, we still don't really know each other. Not saying that's a bad thing! Just saying I think we're trying to substitute social media for real connectedness with real human beings, and it doesn't fill the bill. It's a good thing, but it's not really enough. Does that make sense? Also, I think changing your name will be super empowering for you! ❤️

How lovely you met Maddy!! I follow her too! Love both of your content. I’m single for a long time . I’m a single parent. My children are now 24 and 22 . But I’ve been since the youngest was 6 months. Their dad did nothing and disappeared. Very sad for them. I love being single . Not that I don’t want a relationship but I’m so happy that I don’t need it. If it’s going to happen then I’ll take it from there. Anyway I totally understand you’re changing your name. What a gorgeous tiny house!! Really pretty. Cornwall is so stunning!! Hope you’ll have a wonderful week! Thank you for sharing! 🤎🔥🪵🍂

It was lovely to see Cornwall. I visited it a few years ago and I have fond memories, just beautiful 😊 I agree, it's very important to get along with yourself (and spend time), it's the longest relationship you will ever have and makes one less dependent on others 😁. Of course, once in a while it's nice to be surrounded with people who make you feel good. Congratulations on your decision and best wishes 🥳

I think it's great you are changing you name back and you are so excited about it. I never took my husband's name when I got married, partly because I didn't like the historical reasons (being owned by your father to being owned by your new husband!) and partly because my name had always been different from the rest of my family ( my father died when I was a baby and then my mum later remarried and took my step father's name). A lot of people thought it was weird, especially not being a 'mrs' but I have always felt 100% sure it was the right decision for me.

Wonderful vlog, by the way! Cornwall is amazing

This was fabulous, I loved this area and you have a very cute dog❣❣

I always liked the sound of your name and how it looked in writing, but Knight seems like a wonderful change. You are your own knight and shining armor.😊 I always wanted to take a trip alone somewhere, but really haven’t gotten the chance. Is humans are never satisfied, when we are in a relationship we long for alone time and when we are single we long for some company. I guess we just have to learn to be grateful and take advantage of where we are at the moment.

Love my single life to, it took a while but it forces me to take my own decisions and that s good.

Hi Jess your name is special to you and no one else so you must do whatever feels right I will still enjoy following 😃😘

Thanks Jessica for sharing your little getaway. Loved the cabin! I separated after a 24 year marriage. Am still legally married , we just haven’t got round to divorcing yet lol I did change back to my maiden name tho, for everything except my job. I felt changing back to my maiden name was like reclaiming myself. ❤ xx

Lovely that you met up from Madeline 🥰

Just letting you know that I have joined kip hideaways and am very much looking forward to going on single + dog adventures❤

Love St Ives in the winter in the summer with all the emmetts its horrendous! Often frequent St Ives bakery its soo good. Pity the weather is so bad its been like this for a couple of weeks. Travelled alone to live in Canada in my 20’s it was daunting but an amazing experience was there for 10 years. Great vlog sorry I didn’t bump into you!

I love St Ives. Try to go at least once a year and had many happy childhood holidays there. As you both said, it never loses its magic! Will that be Ms Night or Knight? It suits you :) xx

Hola, sería genial que pudieras poner la opción de subtítulos en español 🙏🙏🙏🙏

I totally understand you wanting to change your name Jessica. I've been married for 31 years and really regret changing my name to my husbands family name, but there was so much pressure then to do 'the right thing' that I just went along with it to please everyone else. Maybe this will give me the push I need to stay married but revert back to my maiden name, just because I want to. Thank you for this lovely vlog, I always enjoy your work x

Wow I really loved this Jessica. Your such an inspiration even for me who is now over 50! Watching your channel over the last couple of years has really made me think about who I am as now single and determined to achieve my dreams. I’m a mother of 3 now independent all still at home but know it’s a difficult time for them to leave home. Is it selfish of me to be thinking of myself?…..

I live In Cornwall in a place called liskeerd you should visit we have our Xmas lights up already

Lovely place to stay. I thought it had tree house vibes. I think your maiden name is beautiful x

I think it's absolutely the best decision! I didn't change my name when I got married and I also tried to made a friend who was getting married too think of the need to change her name. Unfortunately she did. I really don't see the point to change one's name and I don't see what value it adds to one person's identity to do so. Men would never change their surnames with ours, so why do women feel the need to do so? Well done Jessica 👏 ✔️ 👍

Just saw the end. Love your new name.

Your Sézane Gaspard jumper you are wearing at the end - is it easy to wash? How do you wash yours?

The name “Jessica Rose Night” is GORGEOUS… and it’s who you are for the amazing life ahead of you x I love Madeline (I follow her channel too !) Cornwall looks stunning … even in the rain 🤗 Those lights above the seating area are called “Ivy Twig Lights” … I have the natural/brown colour ones … but they also come in black too (they would look so sweet in your cottage !) Thankyou for sharing this with us x Sending you (and Hope) …. “Every Good Wish” 💫 xxx

Of course you need to change your name 👏absolutely I understand it very well. To tell the truth ,when I was younger I would have liked to have my mom’s last name, it was just the two of us growing up together… But in italy it would have been impossible at the time … and now at 56 I feel it doesn ‘t “make sense “ any more 🤗

P.S yes Jessica,your name is your name is your name ☺. I feel the same about mine 💟x

Tip: try using slightly different language to describe your objective, instead of saying "it's so important to learn to be alone", try thinking of it/describing it as "it's so important to learn to be with yourself"

I think it’s natural to want to change your name after a divorce. I took my husbands last name and have a complicated relationship with my family of origin. I’m still married but have already decided that if I get divorced I will choose a brand new name for myself and start fresh 😊

It's a beautiful name for a beautiful lady 💛

Do whats right for you! Us women change our names when we get married so we can change them back if we want ❤

Beautiful

Congratulations on keeping your name! Name changes originated because women became property of the man they married. I understand that now there are all sorts of other completely valid reasons someone would want to do it. Nonetheless, whatever gives you your power is a step in the right direction. I was married for 31 years and did not change my name (even though there was tremendous pressure back then). And my daughters have my last name as their middle name. I wanted them to be connected to their female ancestors, by name, as well. Well done!

guy,omg.excellent pictuer, ;))

Knight is my mothers maiden name and I love it so I am biased. I can’t imagine changing my name. I love being alone and don’t think I will ever marry. It is like living a romanticised life every single day for real. Would I like someone to take the bin out for me yes, but is that literally all I’d want a husband for, also yes.