The end of Karin Nelson’s 20-year marriage marked the beginning of her self-love affair.

But rediscovering herself after two decades of identifying as a wife hasn’t been a cakewalk, Nelson, 47, from Salt Lake City, Utah, told The Post.

“I was so unhappy in the marriage — he was cheating on me, we didn’t communicate well, we didn’t always get along — but being married was the only life I knew,” said Nelson, who became a divorce recovery coach after throwing in the towel in 2017. “Asking for the divorce was scary because I didn’t know who I was [outside of being married]and I didn’t like who I was in the marriage.

“I’d taken on this belief that as long as my husband’s happy, I’m happy,” confessed the singleton. “I’d completely lost myself.”

Unfortunately, Nelson is not alone in facing “delayed-onset divorce.”

She’s among the gals of the “gray divorce” trend, a rising movement charged by folks in midlife, who are walking away from long-term marriages after years of slowly growing apart.

The women over age 45 include the A-list likes of actresses Nicole Kidman and Lori Loughlin, who’ve bravely hit the gong on long-term marriages that have hit the rocks.

Kidman, 58, filed for divorce from country singer Keith Urban, 57, on Sept. 30, citing “irreconcilable differences” after nearly 20 years of marriage.

Just says later, on Oct. 2, Loughlin, 61, split with fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, 62, after being hitched for 28 years. Reps for the “Full House” actress confirmed that the pair is “living apart and taking a break from their marriage.” However, there are currently no legal proceedings underway.

The back-to-back, bombshell breakups triggered an avalanche of cyber confessionals from divorcees — namely, ladies like Nelson, who’d been hitched for several decades before pulling the plug — who’ve since transformed social media into a virtual support group, offering sage wisdom and advice on how to recreate a life after the death of “I Do.”

“I coach a lot of middle-aged women going through divorces,” said Nelson, cheekily attributing the mass exodus from marriage to the physiological changes females experience as they age. “Once perimenopause hits, they’re just done with the bulls–t.”

Those who’ve had their fill of the matrimonial malarkey have turned to Nelson’s digital content, clips that have beckoned over 158,000 social media viewers, for guidance on next steps after walking away.

“Women reach out to thank me, saying, ‘It’s nice to know that divorce doesn’t mean my life is over,’” said Nelson. “‘I feel stronger now that I know there is something to look forward to even though my [long-term] marriage is over,’ or, ‘Your story gives me the courage to do it too.’”

The brunette’s posts also garner a bounty of buzz from silver foxes who are already happily unwed.

“I was married for 24 years … [a divorce was] the BEST gift my husband ever gave me,” cheered a fan under one of Nelson’s videos.

“I regret not leaving sooner,” another woman groaned.

“I was married one month shy of 31 years,” one person added. “I have zero regrets.”

It turns out that gray divorce rates have skyrocketed since the 1970s, according to recent research.

“Nowadays, 36% of U.S. adults getting divorced are aged 50 or older,” authors from Bowling Green State University revealed in the report.

“Contemporary marriages have become individualized, with spouses emphasizing their own fulfillment and satisfaction,” wrote the experts. “Divorce is now a common event during the second half of life.”

Nelson’s ex — whom she chose not to name for privacy purposes — prioritized his own fulfillment and satisfaction during their marriage. He made extramarital affairs with multiple women a top hobby.

It was a pleasure-seeking pastime that sent Nelson into despair.

“Even after I’d caught him cheating, it was still really hard for me to decide whether to ask for a divorce,” said the mother of two. She considered marriage counseling, hoping a professional could get their union back on track.

“Ultimately, I had to go internal and ask myself, ‘Do you want to live the rest of your life married to someone like this? Or do I want to [spend my second half of life] exploring my own wants and desires?’”

Lesley coeppl, and Upper East Side psychotherapisttold The Post that later-in-life divorces are now “very common” among her clientele, mainly comprised of older couples, who are begrudgingly tired of toughing it out in unhappy marriages for the sake of the kids.

And she commends those who make clean breaks once their fake-it-til-you-make-it mojo diminishes.

But the expert warns that there are no shortcuts when it comes to the healing process after ending a lengthy run.

“You can’t skip over the mourning period after ending a marriage of 20 years or more. If you try, that pain will continue to haunt you,” said Koeppel. “To move on, you have to sit in that sadness, as you would a death, because that’s what it is.

“You have to experience the full range of those difficult emotions in order to find hope after heartache.”

Nicky Teixeira, 52, who called it quits on her 33-year marriage in June 2024, agrees.

In the 16 months since bidding her former hubby farewell, the newly single New Englander has adequately grieved the loss — with the help of therapy — and is now embracing life on her own terms.

“I was tired of being controlled, being cheated on, being made to feel inferior and having the arguments over and over. It was making me physically ill,” Teixeira, a mom of three, from New Hampshire, told The Post. “I wrote my ex a ‘Dear John’ letter, packed my bags and left with only 36 cents in my account.”

It was an exit that opened Teixeira’s eyes to her innate greatness.

“I’m learning how to love myself, and to love being alone,” gushed the Gen Xer, a pharmaceuticals saleswoman — noting, however, that she hasn’t fully closed the door on romance.

“I’m 100% open to a healthy and pure love. I’m worthy of it,” she said.

Carley Crockett told The Post she’s still experiencing the emotional highs and lows of life after a 20-year marriage. She filed for divorce in March.

Her sudden departure was rooted in self-exploration rather than relational discord.

“My ex-husband is a good person. But I just wanted to live a life of my own choosing,” Crockett, 41, a Utah mom of four, explained. “I decided I didn’t want marriage anymore. I wanted more for the second half of my life.”

And as the millennial’s mapping out her second act — a foot-loose, fancy-free time that has included wild nights at electronic musical festivals — she is simply enjoying the ride.

It’s a ride she’s shared with over 32,000 strangers online, many of whom are in the same boat.

“Thirty-four years married. Just filed last month,” raved a soon-to-be set free woman who witnessed Crockett’s divorce vid.

“I just got my divorce finalized today,” another wrote, in part. “I was married 21 years.”

“Going through a divorce now, after 20 years, too,” a separate single chimed. “It’s exhausting.”

Crockett said untying the knot has been more than just a taxing undertaking.

“It’s been terrifying and exciting,” she confessed. “But it’s okay to feel stressed and despondent and overwhelmed by the loss of this significant relationship.

“Those are fleeting moments,” Crockett said, reassuring newly single gals in similar situations. “It might not feel like you’re gonna make it, but you will pull through.”