Jenna Dewan opens up about one of the hardest parts of her divorce from Channing Tatum.

In her new book, Gracefully You: Finding beauty and balance in everyday life, the 38-year-old dancer writes about what she dubs a “separation storm” that “tested me in ways I didn’t think possible.”

One of those unexpected tests came when Tatum, 39, began Dating singer Jesse J in October 2018, just six months after he and Dewan announced the end of their eight-year marriage.

“I never challenged anything more than I was having to find grace during my divorce,” she writes. “Not only am I fighting the emotional battle of having to let go and move forward in life, I’ve learned things about my ex most people don’t have to face – and through the Internet as it happens.”

Despite the “challenge of staying graceful,” Dewan notes that it’s in those awkward situations ” where your real character comes out.”

“Instead of reacting the way I wanted (there were a lot of Twitter posts written and then deleted) … I asked myself: how do I choose grace at this moment?”- she recalls. “If I hadn’t practiced this lifestyle beforehand, I definitely wouldn’t have handled this news very gracefully.”

In addition to Tatum’s new relationship, Dewan has had to contend with the public nature of her breakup with Tatum, with whom she shares a 6-year-old daughter, Everly.

“At the beginning of my separation, it felt like I was in a dark closet, desperately trying to find a light or a way out. I was in a state of shock, ” she writes. “One week I would do very well, and the next I was slammed with a whole new set of emotions.”

“The rumour mill has been churning out story after story. There were many times when I hid under the covers wondering what would happen next, ” Dewan continues. “The pain hit me like an avalanche acrobatics. I was completely overcome with fear and sadness. It took a lot of moments sitting alone with my grief to make me surrender to my roller coaster situation.”

Around the same time Tatum started his new relationship, Dewan also started Dating someone new-Steve Kazi, with whom she is currently expecting a child.

“When I was ready, I started Dating someone amazing,” she writes. “It was a cosmic great thing where we circled around around to each other after a moment of instant recognition years ago.”

Gracefully you: the Search for beauty and balance in everyday hit shelves on October 22.

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