Jennifer Garner is finally living her best life. Now that she has kicked Ben Affleck to the curb, a lot of fans have noticed that she’s not only looking her best, but she’s also full of new life and energy. Let’s face it, her marriage to the troubled Hollywood actor was not easy. And their separation was surely a rocky one, too.

The couple tried to make things work for almost two years, but unfortunately, Jennifer ended up pulling the plug on their decade-long marriage. All of Ben’s vices, the rumors, and the alleged partying became way too much for Jen. After all, she had three kids to take care of at home. The last thing she needed to do was take care of her husband as if he were another one of her children, too.

With that being said though, Jennifer is back and it’s without a doubt that she’s better than ever. It’s almost as if she has new life in her. Some people think that now that she’s divorcing Ben Affleck, she’ll enjoy a new boost in both her career and her personal life. Here are 15 reasons why Jennifer Garner is better as a single mom.

15 Done With Affleck's Drama

No one wants to be a single mom. When you get married, you want things to work out no matter what. But unfortunately, half of the marriages crumble. And when you are a high profile couple like Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, it’s even tougher to try and make things work. But now that Jennifer is a single mom, she doesn't have to worry about all the drama that Ben was bringing into her life before. It’s all in the past. At the same time though,

Ben is trying to cover his you-know-what and protect his image.

He wants to make sure that no additional or dirty details about their separation and divorce are going to make their way to the media. He knows that if this does happen, his reputation will get an even bigger hit.

A source told People Magazine, "They’re doing well, and are both committed to providing a supportive environment for their kids. They continue to remain cordial to one another. There is a lot of love and respect there… He’s found a really good routine. He’s in a great place, enjoying his work on the new film and being able to fly back to spend time with the family during downtime.”

14 Ben’s Vices

Now, no one knows what was really going on between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner behind closed doors. All we know is that they had their problems and that they tried really hard to patch up the holes in their marriage. But at the same time, many media reports indicate that Jennifer had a difficult time dealing with Ben’s vices. And it’s something that Ben has been rather honest about, too. He’s dealt with alcohol abuse problems and has even gone to rehab several times. Unfortunately, nothing seems to work in his favor.

Here’s what Ben Affleck’s dad Timothy Affleck told Grazia Magazine back in 2017, “It has taken a toll on both of my sons. Hollywood is a disgusting place. I think that’s been a major factor in Ben’s drinking. You’re kind of forced to develop a persona that is hard to shed and go home to your family. It affects your whole life. I think that’s one of the dangers of the film industry. I was a chronic, severe alcoholic for several years. I had to recover and, happily, I did. Ben has always been serious about getting sober. There is no question about that. He wants a balanced life and he is working at it.”

13 All Of The Embarrassing Headlines

For Jennifer, her most important job as a mother is to protect her children. And one thing she struggled with the most during her marriage was all of the embarrassing headlines about her and Ben Affleck. And if that weren’t enough, the paparazzi for following them every single day, each time they were out and about as a family. Jen just couldn’t handle it anymore. She knew that this was no way to live. She also knew that raising her children in such a toxic and negative environment wasn’t easy, too.

But as far as Jen ever giving Ben a second chance, don’t bet on it. Us Magazine reported that a friend said:

“After Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck announced their separation in 2015, the couple went through a heartbreaking period of nearly two years where the actress tried to save their marriage.

She put her heart and soul into fixing the relationship and wanted so desperately to turn things around for the children’s sake as well as theirs. She forgave him for so much, and still he couldn’t change… Since the April 2017 divorce filing, ‘he’s begged her to come back several times, but she has no interest."

12 Ben’s Midlife Crisis

Sure, we all do stupid things in our life. But at least we’ve never gotten permanent ink on our backs that looked so bad that we had to lie and say that it was actually fake (when it really wasn’t). Yes, we are actually talking about Ben’s midlife crisis and the awful back tattoo that he got as a result of it. Obviously, there are things going on in Ben’s head that we don’t know about, and probably don’t want to know about, either. Even if he does try to get that horrendous thing off his back, it will take many long, painful sessions. Ben would have been better off getting a very expensive sports car than putting ink on his back.

Here’s what a tattoo artist has to say about Ben’s ink. According to the Huffington Post, Christy Fish of Christy Fish Tattoo said, “As far as Ben’s tattoo goes, I hope it served him well and empowered him during a time in his life that he may have felt powerless. Tattoos of animals can represent qualities the collector wishes to embody. It would be pretty self-centered to criticize someone for their personal expression. If I meet a new client and they come in with sub-par tattoos, I don’t criticize them for it, and oftentimes, they actually love their bad tattoos. Is Ben’s tattoo a bad tattoo?”

11 No More Staged Photo Ops

Now that Jennifer Garner is no longer married to Ben Affleck, she doesn’t have to worry about staging all of those “happy family” photo ops. Why? Because we know that the gig is up. We know that Jen and Ben were anything but happy. She also knows that she doesn’t have to worry about protecting Ben’s reputation in the media anymore. That’s because he’s done a pretty good job of ruining that himself. Because let’s face it,

Ben never looked too happy while he was running around and playing the “dad” role with his kids in front of the paparazzi. He always looked like he wanted to be anywhere but the place where he was.

Here’s what E! Online wrote back in 2017, “Garner ‘is very annoyed because it just means more attention on her and the kids as a result of Ben’s actions. She tries to shield them from any and all publicity and scrutiny. She’s taking her kids to school and to all of their activities. As far as they know nothing has changed and all is well. That is always her goal but she’s been pretty frustrated with him.’”

10 No More 'Excess Baggage'

Yes, it’s pretty awful that people are saying this, but many critics agree that Jennifer Garner has done a great thing by dropping the “dead weight” in her life. And by that, we mean Ben Affleck. Jen is a smart, beautiful, talented actress with a lot to give. Obviously, she didn’t agree with Ben’s lifestyle, otherwise, he would have dragged her down with him.

She keeps her head up high and wouldn’t touch any sort of substance with a ten-foot stick. By getting rid of Ben Affleck, she can breathe a huge sigh of relief. And thankfully, she’s doing a good job of cleaning up the mess he left behind, too.

Here’s what E! Online writes, “After 10 years of marriage, Garner is still holding down the fort at her longtime home in Los Angeles’ celeb-filled Pacific Palisades neighborhood, where she’s frequently spotted taking her daughters and son to school, grabbing coffee and going to church on Sundays. Thanks to Instagram, fans are even treated to the occasional backyard sighting, such as when she donned full marching-band regalia to wail “Happy Birthday” on the saxophone for her friend Reese Witherspoon last month. (The answer is: Jen played sax in her own high school marching band.)”

9 She Can Focus More On Her Kids

Sure, there’s a lot of things that can be said about Jennifer Garner, but there’s no denying that she is a fantastic mother. As a matter of fact, she’s one of the most hands-on and dedicated mothers we’ve seen in the celebrity world.

She’s the mom that will sell Girl Scouts cookies with you, do all the school runs and volunteer during the PTA meetings.

She also does a great job of co-parenting and doing what’s best for her kids.

Just recently Jennifer made an effort to visit Ben in Hawaii with their kids. Here’s the low down from People Magazine, “They made a family trip to interact with dolphins, sea lions and stingrays. They spent several hours at the park and looked like they had the best time. The kids were all very interested in learning about the animals. They all seem like huge dolphin fans… Jen seemed excited about the trip. She hasn’t been to Hawaii for a while and always loved it. The kids love when they all spend time together,’ says the second source. ‘As long as Ben keeps working on himself, Jen is happy. She will continue to support him because it benefits the kids.’”

8 She Still Has Time To Start Over

Needless to say, Jennifer Garner is the kind of woman that any man would want to be with, without a doubt. She’s smart and funny and she has a lot to say. Sure, she spent the last decade living a life of hell with Ben Affleck, but she has plenty of time to start over. She might not be looking for a boyfriend right now, but we have a feeling that Jen won’t be staying single forever, if you know what we mean! But on the other hand, Jen might be waiting until her kids are much older before she starts dipping her feet in the dating pool. She’s in no rush.

Page Six wrote, “It’s been more than two years since Jennifer Garner separated from Ben Affleck, but it seems she’s not ready to move on. ‘I would not have chosen this life for myself or for my kids. I would not choose to be single or be in this position. It’s something that we are working through. I haven’t been on a date and I am not interested in dating. People want to set me up and I am just like, ‘No thank you!’”

7 She Can Finally Focus On Herself

Form the outside, Jennifer Garner might make everything look like it’s easy. But from the inside, there’s no doubt that she does have her personal struggles. Yet, now that she doesn’t have to worry about every little step or mistake that Ben Affleck makes, she can finally focus on herself. Ben was a huge burden on her, both professionally and personally. It’s no wonder that she looks ten years younger now that Ben is not in her life full-time anymore. She can take a little time off to work on herself.

Or better yet, she can pamper and treat herself the way she is supposed to be treated! And it’s high time that she’s done so.

Here’s what Page Six reported, “Affleck has been undergoing a new rehab treatment for alcohol addiction in the Los Angeles area ahead of filming “The Batman” next year, where he will return as the Caped Crusader after playing the character in the recent “Justice League.” On Tuesday, he was spotted with his girlfriend, “Saturday Night Live” producer Lindsay Shookus, at Nobu in Malibu, Calif. Sources say he stayed sober during the meal and is expected to return to his rehab facility for further treatment.”

6 She’s On Social Media Now

One of the first things Jennifer Garner did after kicking Ben Affleck out of her life was to join social media. And boy, did we see a whole different side of Jennifer come out that we’ve never seen before. Simply put, she is an Instagram darling! Many fans would agree that she comes off incredibly delightful and sweet on social media. It’s just a shame that it’s taken her this long to join in on all the fun!

W Magazine put it this way, “While taking in Garner’s Instagram posts, try to isolate them from any sort of context for a second. Forget that she’s an actress or that she used to be married to Ben Affleck. Her posts can be totally off the cuff and ridiculous, showcasing a silly, childlike side of Garner that most of us have not seen in far too long. Between making homemade bagels, dining with the legendary chef Ina Garten, and trying her hand at creating her own memes, she is giving us a glimpse into her playful side. She is giving us mother-of-three realness."

"She is serving up memorable content that can and should be shared far and wide. She is really just out here having the time of her life on this platform,” they concluded.

5 And Even Has A Possible New Romance

Now, no one knows what is in store for Jennifer Garner in the future. But what we do know is that she’ll end up finding her prince charming sooner or later. After all, Ben Affleck has already moved on with his girlfriend, Lindsay Shookus. For Jen, she’s just waiting for the right time for everything to happen. Right now she’s more focused on being a single mom than anything else. But, a possible new romance might be on the horizon.

Jennifer has dated plenty of guys before Ben came along and we have a feeling that plenty more guys will be trying really hard to get her number. She is a hot mama, after all!

IBI Times says, “Jennifer Garner may finally be open to dating a new man almost three years after her split from Ben Affleck. [She] wants her next boyfriend to be ‘the one.’ ‘She wants to be very careful and very selective when she does find the time to date – because of the kids. She hasn’t made dating a priority. Jen wants to make sure that when she finally does decide she is ready for romance that her next man is in it for the long run,’ the source said.”

4 Her Kids Are Her Number One Priority

Sure, we can talk day and night about how Jennifer Garner has managed to turn a new leaf in her life. Yes, divorce sucks and it runs a lot of people’s lives. But once you pick up the pieces in your life, you realize that starting over isn’t so bad after all. And for Jennifer Garner, she has nowhere to go but up. But at the same time, her kids are her number one priority. Every decision she makes in her life will affect them one way or another, and Jen knows this. That’s why she’s very careful about the moves she makes.

According to The Today Show, Jennifer opened up about being a working mom by saying, “There's an internal battle. I need to work, I need to work, I need to work, and I need to be home with my kids, and the kids win. It's about getting the kids up and fed, getting one to school, getting the other down for a nap, going to the grocery store, picking one up from school, getting the other one down for another nap, cooking dinner... I live my life at these two extremes. I'm either a full-time stay-at-home mom or a full-time actress.”

3 But Her Next Man Needs To Be In It For The Long Run

Jennifer believes in love. She also believes in good, strong relationships and marriages that last a lifetime. Unfortunately, her first two didn’t work out to her advantage. That’s why she wants the third one to work out no matter what.

In other words, she wants her next man to be in it for the long run. Jen doesn’t want to be falling back to the same place she is now.

According to a source who confided to Entertainment Tonight, Garner “is in no rush to return to the dating scene. She wants to be very careful and very selective when she does find the time to date — because of the kids. She hasn’t made dating a priority. Jen wants to make sure that when she finally does decide she is ready for romance that her next man is in it for the long run,’ the source explains.

Although the source said that she still enjoys going out with her friends, she's more focused on other areas of her life. The source continues: "She is back. She has thrown herself into her work and her success,’ the source says. ‘She is killing it and those [closest to her] couldn’t be more proud.”

2 She Has New Goals

Sure, Jennifer Garner is one of the biggest names in the entertainment business right now. But little do her fans know that she also has a side business, too. Ever since she left Ben Affleck, she’s been focusing on her new goals in life, which includes her organic baby food line. Yes, she really is talking the talk and walking the walk. After all, Jennifer is one of the most well-known celebrity moms. She might as well make a little profit off her name!

Jennifer told Vanity Fair in an interview, “Having grown up in West Virginia, while I had a middle-class upbringing I was surrounded by generational poverty and saw that the kids were not advancing in school like my sisters and I were… I really saw it and I was really disturbed by how unfair that was. My mom grew up poor on a farm in Oklahoma. Once I had a little bit of a voice I felt like ‘who is helping the kids like my mom? Who is helping the kids like I grew up with?’ Save the Children, our programs in the US focus on kids in rural America. I cold called them and said ‘hey do you mind if I work with you guys?’ I’ve been there almost 11 years. I’m now a trustee for the organization as well.”

1 She Feels Most Beautiful Now

The best thing about Jennifer Garner’s life right now is that she’s never felt more beautiful in her life. She’s got a great career, wonderful children, a strong support system and a future that looks incredibly bright. Now, we are sure that Ben Affleck wasn’t the easiest person to live with. Jennifer is finally free and doing things by her own rules. And she’s loving each and every second of her new found freedom, too.

She told People Magazine,

“My kids are so relieved to see me take my makeup off and put glasses and sweatpants on. I guess that doesn’t really count as feeling beautiful! It is more like feeling wanted and loved for being me, which is even better."

She also added that the first time that she felt truly beautiful was at a school event: "I slept in pink sponge rollers the night before and wore some little elf costume my mom sewed for me. I remember feeling cute and noticing that it was a new and different and nice way to feel.”

References: People Magazine, Grazia Magazine, Us Magazine, Huffington Post, E!Online, Page Six, W Magazine, IBI Times, The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight, Vanity Fair