The nest is empty. The kids are finally out of the house, and you should be happy, right? Most of the time I’m happy to have so much new found time. I can finally do all the things I said I was going to do. But sometimes the house feels a little empty.
So what’s the problem with having an empty nest? For some of us, we got so used to doing for others that we forget to do for ourselves. I know it’s healthy to want things just for me, I’m just out of practice. After all the years of ball games, dance recitals, and community activities, how do I remember who I am?
It’s natural, please know that. After two decades of raising kids, can we be forgiving of ourselves that maybe we don’t know who we are anymore. It’s been a long time since we could be selfish. Now is the time to be selfish. It’s okay to spend some time rediscovering who we are and where we want to go.
Selfish doesn’t mean “bad.” It means thinking through what matters to you, and who you want to become. It’s brushing up on skills that got a little cobwebby. It’s me time in a good way. It’s time to remember who you are.
Here’s what I did after my own empty nest moment, and may it bless your own efforts. I started a morning routine. I had one before, but it was along the lines of “I hope I get coffee while I cajole the kids to keep moving, and maybe I’ll get a bra on before we leave for the carpool lane.”
Now I have a real morning routine. Upon waking, I recall any scraps I can remember of my dreams as well as how I feel about it. It’s a chance to get messages from my higher self, and any strongly held emotions are a key to what I next need to pay attention to. Then I think of three things I feel grateful about, and three things I hope to accomplish today. Lastly, I sit with my coffee and just think. I let my thoughts give light to my intuition, and let my intuition inform my every day choices.
This small pause tells my inner heart that I matter. It was awesome that I did all these things for my family, and now it’s time to figure out what’s next. What’s my legacy? What will bring me joy as I tap out from this life?
My legacy is that I will inspire a whole bunch of women to live their best life, starting with you. My highest hope is that this blog, and my other writings will inspire you to live your best life. What’s your legacy? I’d love to hear about it, please post in the comments!
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