When your kids leave the nest it’s time for you to fly as well.
Here are 29 suggestions to get you on the road to thriving:
1. Allow yourself to feel all of your feelings. This can be a difficult transition, and you are entitled to be in your feels. Feel how you feel but don’t get stuck there.
2. Become intentional about your self-care practices. Sure, meditation and spa treatments are nice, but challenging limiting beliefs is also a form of self-care. Let’s work together to help you rethink what thriving means to you.
3. Journal. Begin the grieving process by writing in a gratitude journal. In time, the sadness will shift to a new way of being that will bring great joy.
4. Communicate regularly with your kiddos. Follow their lead. Get comfortable with FaceTime. Send corny GIFs and encouraging texts as needed.
5. Meet with your financial advisor. Now that the kids are gone, make sure you’re on the right track for retirement.
6. Reconnect with long-lost friends. Girl, what have you been up to the last decade? LOL!
7. Make new friends. There are meet up groups for just about everything. Check into virtual options until social distancing lifts. Trust me, there are a lot of people just like you who’d love to connect.
8. Join a club or organization. Check out political organizations, sororities and religious organizations to name a few. These give you opportunities to reconnect with old interests or cultivating new ones while learning and expanding your network.
9. Set one or more long-term goals. Your goals will provide direction and a renewed sense of purpose. Write them down! Perhaps it’s time to take that college course online, train for a 5K, finally write that book or learn a new language.
10. Create new weekend routines. Those days of sitting on the sidelines cheering the kids on can now become a morning spent enjoying a cup of coffee with a friend at that cute new coffeehouse.
11. Declutter your home. This one should feel really good. Do you really need to save every art project since 1st grade? Repurpose spaces that are no longer in use by your children.
12. Find a volunteer project that feeds your soul. There are so many fantastic causes and organizations that need your unique gifts.
13. Plan mini-staycations quarterly. This doesn’t have to be expensive. Be creative.
14. Create a travel bucket-list. What about finally taking that solo trip? It can be very liberating.
15. Create a must-visit restaurant list. Try new cuisine. If you’re your own favorite chef, perhaps take a cooking class.
16. Redecorate your home. Enough said.
17. Downsize your home. How about condo living or a new home by the ocean? Sometimes less is more.
18. Revamp your wardrobe. Update the soccer mom gear to reflect this new season.
19. Update your makeup routine. Have you been using the same products for the last twenty years? How about shaking things up and trying a new hip lip color?
20. Explore ways to rekindle intimacy with your partner or spouse. How about salsa lessons or weekly movie nights? I could add a few spicier things but I’m trying to keep things PG.
21. Spend time in nature. Hiking, camping, kayaking or gardening. For me, it would have to be glamping.
22. Create a reading list and perhaps invite a few friends to join you. Book Club anyone?
23. Pursue a new hobby. There’s an online class for just about everything these days. How about painting, sculpting, pottery, creative writing, photography, scrapbooking or pole dancing? Had to add that last one. We are not our mothers!
24. Adopt a pet. I have two dogs, I’ll share.
25. Take up a new physical activity. Biking, yoga, tai chi tennis, boxing, swimming, pickleball. Getting your body moving will have tangible effects, physically and mentally.
26. Learn a musical instrument. Be the first person you know to play the oboe.
27. Take an improvisation or acting class. Get into character.
28. Start a blog or podcast about something of interest. Your voice matters!
29. Engage with social media. There are plenty of “midlifers/empty nesters” on Tik Tok, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. There’s plenty of joy to be had by connecting online.
Bonus:
30. Do whatever your soul leads you to do! This is your time!
Need someone to strategize with about the moves you’ll make when your kids are no longer under your roof? Need support during empty-nester season? Let’s create a plan that works for you. Connect with me on Instagram or LinkedIn, or click the link below to schedule a one-on-one consultation.
