Comments on: Still Struggling With the Empty Nest? | Tips to Help Get Your Groove Back https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/ A Lifestyle Blog for Empty Nesters by Suzy Mighell Mon, 07 Feb 2022 00:10:30 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 By: Suzy Mighell https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/#comment-5670 Mon, 03 May 2021 14:36:38 +0000 http://emptynestblessed.com/?p=2726#comment-5670 Lizzy,

WOW! Thank you for that wonderful comment! You gave great advice. I want to come to CT and kayak with you! Your kids are so blessed to have a mom who is thriving in the empty nest! How awesome!

Thanks again for sharing your wisdom. I loved every word!

xoxo
Suzy

]]> By: Lizzy https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/#comment-5668 Mon, 03 May 2021 12:19:43 +0000 http://emptynestblessed.com/?p=2726#comment-5668 For me the empty nest has been like stages of grief. It is unique to each person and always changing. I have three children- the two oldest girls and the youngest a boy who is a junior in college, middle one finishing graduate school in Chicago where she also attended undergrad and oldest gainfully employed in SF. At one point all three were in three different states- two of them plane rides away!

My tips are lean into the feelings and fully experience them. I developed new routines and hobbies and started working outside of the home. I absolutely love the shore so I pack up my beach items- good reading material, a writing journal, healthy food, good walking shoes or my bike and explore the area, exercise and relax- sometimes solo, or with a dear friend or with my husband. Being with people who understand really helps! Being alone to contemplate and turn inward helps too! Seeing a movie or getting dinner solo is fun too! I feel it is important to enjoy time with yourself.

A seasoned empty nester couple suggested that kayaking had helped them with the empty nest and so my hubby and took up kayaking, buying our own and have explored many beautiful areas in CT bird watching, fishing-him, and exploring the beauty of nature. We pack picnic lunches, stop off for dinner as the mood struck us- free and not tied to anyone else’s schedule.

Those beach days & days in nature have been healing, contemplative & just plain relaxing! After all of the caring and focusing on others needs MY needs and interests became important and nurtured!

Acknowledge your feelings, communicate and develop a new normal. Be there for your children, enjoy them but give them space to grow and develop into healthy, independent adults. Praying and trusting that more good times are to be had and being proud of the work you have done.

My oldest surprised me with a trip to Paris- just the two of us. The five of us plan visits in their areas and here at home when they visit. Suzy gave good advice of not being needy and getting in your children’s way as the forge independence. You will want them to enjoy your company!

When my children come home they enjoy being nurtured & I enjoy the nurturing and seeing them relax & they even sometime enjoy making dinner for us! For my son in college a home cooked meal or an invitation for he and sometimes roomies to a nice meal out is always welcome and something I make time for. When he graduates I know the empty nest feelings will be back again but I feel equipped and ready to lean into them yet again.

It is a highly personal process!
Hope this helps!
XO and prayers….

]]> By: Suzy Mighell https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/#comment-5661 Sun, 02 May 2021 19:48:10 +0000 http://emptynestblessed.com/?p=2726#comment-5661 Andrea,

I’ve found my relationship with my adult daughter to be much more challenging than my relationship with my adult sons. Mothers and daughters are definitely a thing!

We are enjoying our bed!

Thanks for your comment!

xoxo
Suzy

]]> By: Andrea Madison Spencer https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/#comment-5660 Sun, 02 May 2021 18:43:49 +0000 http://emptynestblessed.com/?p=2726#comment-5660 I have an adjustable bed and I love it! You will enjoy your new bed! Now that my twins have graduated college and are living in their own apartments and employed as mechanical engineers, I struggle most with knowing what amount of help, financial and otherwise, I should be giving them as problems arise! My son seems to want to visit us more, and he communicates much more often than his twin sister. We try to not be too needy with her. It is a balancing act between showing her we care and allowing her to have her space and to make her own choices.

]]> By: EmptyNestBlessed https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/#comment-1861 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 13:47:02 +0000 http://emptynestblessed.com/?p=2726#comment-1861 In reply to Bella.

Bella,
I am so happy for you! Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your story! xoxo Suzy

]]> By: Bella https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/#comment-1860 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 08:41:00 +0000 http://emptynestblessed.com/?p=2726#comment-1860 Dear Suzy, I have three children. When the first went out for studying, I thought my world is broken, although I had a interesting job. Then the second went to Hamburg and it was a little bit of solace to visit him in a nice city. And then the third want to go to England for one year. But then I telephoned with a friend and we make up bellalemoncella. This was the best thing we could do. Because in the times when women of our age are invisible, we make us visible and we had a lot of fun. Now the children are grown up and have their own lifes and I am very proud of them and my life is fine too.
Kind regards Bella

]]> By: EmptyNestBlessed https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/#comment-1781 Fri, 01 Feb 2019 16:52:12 +0000 http://emptynestblessed.com/?p=2726#comment-1781 In reply to Betsie Z.

Betsie,
So fun to be in Paris! The empty nest does allow such fun opportunities to do things like that, right? I hope you have a wonderful week!
It takes a while to get used to the empty nest, and even then it ebbs and flows. My 80+-year-old parents say they still get a touch of empty nest syndrome when I leave after visiting them; so in a way, just like other forms of grief, it never completely goes away. Thanks for your sweet comment. xoxo Suzy

]]> By: Betsie Z https://emptynestblessed.com/2019/01/31/struggling-with-empty-nest/#comment-1779 Fri, 01 Feb 2019 14:29:10 +0000 http://emptynestblessed.com/?p=2726#comment-1779 Hi Suzy!
Thanks for the reminders in this great post. I’m still finding the new normal in year 2 of the empty nest, and love your encouraging words. I’m one of the “lonely/missing them” kinds of moms…but my hubby is thrilled to have me all to himself!! Meanwhile, I’m spending this week of my empty nest in Paris(!!) with my 80 year young mom while my husband attends a conference! Bonjour!

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