The Empty Nesting Dilemma
Sep 20, 2022
There it is - the agony of losing your children to their own endeavors. Ouch. It is painful. It is scary. Life is never going to be the same. Welcome to the Empty Nesting club!
I remember when my daughter got married (the first time) almost right out of college. When she moved the last things out of her bedroom and left for her new apartment, I laid on her bed and bawled my eyes out.
It's not like it was a big surprise. She had been away at college and I knew for a long time she was getting married. I just wasn't ready for the finality of it. My son was still at home and I was so grateful to have him there. He too was sad and disoriented. I remember when she was on her honeymoon, I felt anxious because she was gone for ten days. Oy! Those days were rough. If you are going through that now, my heart is with you.
The dilemma is that once our kids leave the nest, we have to survive. We have to take the next breath, pour the next cup of coffee, and move on.
I recovered quite a while ago and now I see other women going through this stage and they are completely devastated. Adding to their misery is that the relationship with their once dependent child has deteriorated into almost an estranged state. Some kids rarely call their folks or even text them.
Whatever your relationship is with your kids, know that over time, it will be enhanced by your being separated in distance only. The hearts will stay connected.
The key to a fun and relaxed relationship with your kids is to create your own amazing life. You may feel bad for a while, but that feeling will shift into acceptance and then contentment.
You have a few more decades to create an amazing life - one that your kids will admire. If you're wondering what your purpose is now - consider a reinvention of sorts.
My superpower is helping women recover their identity, find their purpose and create a life of impact. What??? Really? I'm sure you're wondering what that might look like for you.
If you haven't already, get my free guide: Quick Path to Finding Your Self as an Empty Nester
Learn how you can solve the dilemma of feeling alone, scared and directionless.
OR Book a consult call with me and let's plan out your next few decades together!
