Cheryl Burke and Matthew Lawrence. Shutterstock(2)
Proud of herself! Cheryl Burke shed some light about her state of mind amid Matthew Lawrence‘s romance with TLC’s Chilli.
“I’m getting a lot of questions about how I’ve been doing lately and what’s been going on, so wanted to check in with you all. If I could describe how I feel in one word I honestly couldn’t,” the former Dancing With the Stars pro, 38, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, January 22. “Each day presents its own bliss but also its own challenges.”
Burke noted that she continues to face her personal issues following her high-profile split from Lawrence, 42.
“There are some days where I wake up dominated by my overwhelming feelings of anxiety, allowing the outside world to define my identity,” she continued. “Then there are moments when I feel peace and ease within my soul, which has led me to learn how to connect with my true essence and purpose in life — which will forever be something I continue to discover for as long as I live.”
The choreographer, whose divorce from the actor was finalized in September 2022, also offered a glimpse at her dating life. “Today, I am proud to say that I am alone, not lonely, and though the past year had its challenges I feel so much pride in knowing that I got through it all by myself,” she shared. “That’s right! Me, myself, and I (and my therapist, of course! Ha!).”
According to Burke, her approach to coping has changed since she has gotten sober. (She stopped drinking in 2018.)
“Normally, I would have jumped straight into another relationship, found a rebound or two, and gone out with my friends 7 nights a week while numbing by using and abusing alcohol,” she admitted. “However, this time, I choose a different path. A clearer path, a more conscious path. Though scary and uncomfortable at times, I have evolved into a woman who I never thought could exist within me.”
In the lengthy social media post, the California native praised her self-growth as well, adding, “Every night I go to sleep I make sure to write in my gratitude journal for the day. I am actually surprised to say that I had and never have been so eager for what tomorrow will bring. Through all of the ups and downs, and ‘the work’ I’ve done on myself, I find comfort in knowing that the only person who can fill up my cup, is ME. And for the first time, I can genuinely say that, I LOVE ME!”
Burke’s candid commentary comes less than one month since Us Weekly confirmed Lawrence’s romance with the singer, 51.
“Chilli has this permanent smile on her face, she’s so happy and telling everyone she really likes Matthew,” a source exclusively told Us after the couple shared a sweet video from their New Year’s Day. “He’s equally smitten and it’s very clear to everyone around them that what they have together has a huge amount of potential.”
At the time, the insider noted that Lawrence didn’t plan to jump into a new romance shortly after his marriage ended. “They didn’t intend for things to move as quickly, it was a go-with-the-flow situation but right away, they just clicked and wanted to be together as often as possible,” the source said. “They’re both very optimistic and excited though, it’s an incredibly happy time for them right now.”
Matthew Lawrence and Cheryl Burke at the 25th Annual Race to Erase MS Gala, April 2018. Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Lawrence and Burke, who dated on and off for several years before tying the knot in 2019, called it quits in February 2022 after nearly three years of marriage. In the wake of their split, Burke opened up about putting in the work for her healing journey.
“If I’m being honest, really feeling my feelings is new to me,” she wrote via Instagram in March 2022, adding that she felt emotionally “numb” throughout her life. “There’s the obvious reason it’s hard — that the emotions I’m experiencing right now are complicated and aren’t exactly happy.”
She continued: “But the less obvious reason is that I’m realizing I have a tendency to judge my own feelings and if I’m with other people, that magnifies. I get so focused on other people’s perception of how I’m dealing with my emotions — which then in turn leads me to question if I am feeling things the ‘right way.’”
As news of Lawrence’s new relationship made headlines, Burke seemingly threw shade at her ex. “That was fast,” she wrote via her Instagram Story earlier this month, with “Boy’s a Liar” by PinkPantheress playing in the background of the post.