Emotions Are the Starting Point for Growth
If you’ve ever told yourself, “I should be over this by now,” I want you to know—you’re not alone.
When your kids grow up and leave home, it’s natural to feel a mix of emotions: pride, relief, sadness, even fear. But what most women aren’t prepared for is the emotional fog that sets in after the house gets quiet. And many of us don’t know what to do with all those feelings.
As a life coach for empty nesters and midlife women, I hear it all the time:
“I feel lost now that I’m not needed every day.”
“I don’t know who I am outside of being a mom.”
“I’m not used to letting myself feel things—I just keep moving.”
I get it. I was there, too.
When I Realized I Had Been Avoiding My Own Emotions
For over 20 years, I worked in marketing, always on the go, always producing. I was raising five kids, juggling work, life, responsibilities. There wasn’t a lot of space to slow down and ask, “How am I really doing?”
When my fourth child left home, I kept saying, “I feel lost.” But the truth is, I wasn’t just lost—I was emotionally disconnected. I didn’t know how to feel what I was feeling.
I had spent years powering through. And like many women, I had learned early on that emotions were messy, inconvenient, or something to push aside so you can get things done.
But avoiding emotions doesn’t make them go away. It just buries them—and eventually, they surface.
Emotional Wellness for Empty Nesters Starts With Awareness
One of the most common mistakes I see women make in the empty nest transition is believing they have to “stay strong” by not expressing their emotions.
But emotional wellness in midlife doesn’t come from bottling things up. It comes from learning how to sit with your feelings, name them, and give them space.
For example:
“I feel sad” might actually be loneliness.
“I feel fine” might be emotional numbness.
“I feel lost” might be fear—fear of the unknown, fear of not mattering, fear of being forgotten.
When I finally allowed myself to go deeper than just “sad” or “lost,” I found something important: clarity. And with clarity came healing.
You're Not Too Emotional. You're Not Too Sensitive. You're Human.
If you’re a mom struggling to figure out who you are after parenting, I want you to know that your emotions are not a problem—they’re information. They’re showing you what matters, what you need, and what’s ready to be healed.
This is a normal part of the empty nest transition.
You are not broken. You are not alone. And there’s nothing weak about feeling deeply.
A Simple Journaling Prompt to Help You Process Your Feelings
If you’re not sure where to start, try this:
🖊️ “What emotion have I been avoiding… and what might it be trying to tell me?”
Give yourself 10 minutes. Write without judgment. Just be honest.
Sometimes the simple act of naming a feeling can shift everything.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
Part of my mission as a life coach for women in midlife is to help you move through this season with more clarity, confidence, and connection to yourself.
If you’re ready to explore what life can look like after the kids leave home, I invite you to join me inside my free community, Open Nest Society, or explore my 1-on-1 coaching program designed specifically for women navigating this next chapter.
Ready to reconnect with yourself in this new season of life?
If you're navigating the emotions of an emptying nest and craving more clarity, confidence, and purpose—you don't have to do it alone.
✨ Join my free community, Open Nest Society, where you'll find support, inspiration, and real conversations with women just like you.
💬 Or, if you're ready for deeper transformation, book a free discovery call and let’s talk about how 1-on-1 coaching can help you thrive in this next chapter.
Because you deserve a life that feels aligned—with or without a full house.
