Cheryl may feel unwanted 'comparisons' on Ashley Cole engagement, says psychologist

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Ashley Cole has announced his engagement to Sharon Canu, who he shares children Jaxon, six, and Grace, four, with. The former footballer has previously dated a few celebrities, including a very high-profile relationship with Cheryl.The pair got married in 2006 before divorcing four years later.

Cheryl has since moved on - marrying and divorcing Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini and having baby Bear with One Director star Liam Payne.

Their lives have definitely moved on from each other, but chartered psychologist, wellness expert and author of The Leaders Guide to Resilience Dr Audrey Tang, explains that seeing a former partner hit a big life milestone with someone else can stir up some emotions. "When we break up with someone, they are still part of our past, even though they are not in our future.

As such (especially if they have been in our lives for some time) – much of who we are “right now” or at least at the moment of split, is shaped by our life with them in it," explains Dr Audrey. "When you see they've hit a big milestone you can find yourself thinking about whether your ex is sharing things that you shared and were at the time personal and unique to your relationship, with another person. "We cannot help but compare ourselves, consciously or sub consciously to an ex’s new partner, even if they (the ex) themselves don’t hold so much significance any more," she explains.