Empty Nesters – Five Steps to Filling Your Life with Renewed Purpose
We, as women, go through many stages in our lives…we grow to adulthood, have careers, and raise a family. And then, as if in a blink of the eye, the children leave home. The house seems so empty! It may leave you at a loss, not knowing what to do with yourself. Often, this stage of life is called the “empty nest syndrome” and moms are the “empty nesters”.
When you experience this emptiness, it’s a time for reflection. Life is by no means over. It’s simply a new and exciting phase where you can once again concentrate on growing as a person. And importantly, it’s a time to take care of YOUR needs for a change.
How empty nesters can enthusiastically embrace the next chapter in life:
- Celebrate! You’ve helped your babies grow into responsible adults who are able to care for themselves and contribute to the world. That is a huge accomplishment! It’s a great gift to everyone they’ll encounter in life. And YOU made it possible, so it’s time to celebrate! The nice thing about it is that as your children grow older and have families of their own, they’ll come to appreciate everything you’ve done for them so much more.
- Let them go.Trust your children to navigate the world, being confident that you’ve taught them the values, ethics and skills they’ll need to be happy and safe. It wouldn’t be good to keep them tied to your apron strings or require them to check in with you all the time. Let them build a life of their own. Let them make their own decisions without judgment of them, even if they experience difficulties. That’s how they learn to grow. And if and when they need help, they’ll let you know.
- Pamper yourself. You’ve been filling everyone else’s needs for years. It’s time for you to replenish your body, soul and spirit. Enroll in a class. Learn a new skill. Join a gym. Schedule a massage. Reconnect with friends. When you finally do the things you’ve always wanted to do, you’ll feel a renewed zest for life.
- Rekindle romance.It’s not enough to pamper yourself. You’ll be happier if you take time to reconnect and start pampering your husband or significant other too. Over the years, you’ve been changing and so has he. Enjoy the adventure of getting reacquainted by dating each other all over again on a more mature level.
- Cultivate new friendships. The friendships you’ve formed via your children’s activities may drift apart now that the common bond is gone. It’s time to reach out to find other women who share your interests and fuel your plans for this new stage of life. That doesn’t mean you forget the old friends, because you’ll always cherish them. It simply means you have more room in your friendship circle.
Empty nesters have accumulated years of experience and skills that make it possible to do anything they set their mind to do. Over the years you’ve worn so many hats – mother, wife, nurse, cook, manager, and teacher. What do you dream of doing and being now? Is it your desire to become a life coach who empowers other women? Do you want to start your own business? There’s no better time than the present to follow your dreams and desires. It’s time to let those who love you support you in your new adventure. Live with purpose and excitement as your change your “empty nest” into a rich and fulfilling life.
If you’re ready to take action, but aren’t sure where to begin, we invite you to Ashland, Oregon to hear our FREE talk on Augsut 25th: Choose Life Enhancing Beliefs. Nando Raynolds and I will show you how to utilize NLP techniques in your life to be happier, more centered and more motivated. It’s a good first step for empty nesters and will start at 6:30 PM. Learn more about it by clicking here or contact me for more details.