Cameron Mathison Says He's Unsure 'What This Next Chapter Holds for Me' but Is 'Grateful' After Announcing His Divorce

The actor and his wife Vanessa shared on July 31 that they decided to split up following 22 years of marriage

Cameron Mathison has a positive mindset when it comes to his divorce from his wife Vanessa.

The General Hospital stars announced in a joint Instagram post in July that they’d be splitting up after 22 years of marriage. On Friday, Aug. 16, Cameron, 54, spoke out about the divorce for the first time, stating on Instagram that he feels “grateful” for all aspects of his life.

“With the right mindset and guidance… pain, grief, confusion, fear, and disbelief… can all be our best teachers,” the actor wrote. “Grateful for all the beautiful things in my life, as well as for the challenges and difficulties 🙏🏼”

Related: Cameron Mathison Steps Out with Aubree Knight Hours After Announcing Divorce

Cameron also acknowledged that his future remains unclear following the split.

“I don’t know what this next chapter holds for me, but I’m approaching it with gratitude, acceptance, and the determination to be positive and to benefit others every chance I get,” he continued in his Instagram caption.

The former Hallmark Channel host received support from some of his famous friends in the comments section, with Danica McKeller writing “ 👊👊👊 You got this!” and Autumn Reeser's commenting, “Yessssss 🙌.”

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On July 31, four days after celebrating their 22^nd wedding anniversary, Cameron wrote on Instagram that he and Vanessa “made the difficult decision to part ways.”

“We enter this new chapter with deep love, kindness, and respect for each other,” their joint statement read. “We hold gratitude in our hearts for the wonderful years we shared together. Our children have been and will continue to be our highest priority, and we will forever share in our devotion and love for them. We remain friends, and both wish the best for one another. We sincerely appreciate your respect for our family’s privacy during this transition.”

They added that children son Lucas, 21, and daughter Leila, 18, “will continue to be our highest priority, and we will forever share in our devotion and love for them.”

Related: Cameron Mathison Reveals He Asked for a Different Partner When Paired with Edyta Śliwińska on Dancing With the Stars 

In May, Cameron told PEOPLE that he didn’t feel ready for both kids to be out of the house as Leila heads to college this fall.

“I'm about to be an empty nester. My kids are older, my daughter's leaving," he said at the annual Taste for a Cure fundraising event. “It's the best thing in the world, But at the same time, I don't think I'm ready. I mean, you think you are. You're like, ‘Oh, it's going to be awesome,' but I'm going to miss them.”

Hours after the soap star announced his split, he was photographed walking and laughing with esthetician Aubree Knight on their way to grab a meal in Los Angeles. Representatives for Cameron and Knight did not return PEOPLE's request for comment at the time.

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