If your children are growing up.
Leaving home or simply beginning to need you differently.
This talk is for you.
Today we're going to talk about a part of the emptiness transition that doesn't always get talked about.
Not only missing your children,
But wondering who you are.
When the day-to-day role of motherhood begins to change.
Whether your nest is already empty.
You're approaching that season or you're simply noticing your children becoming more independent.
You may recognize some of these feelings.
And there's no one right way to experience this transition.
You might feel.
Sadness.
Pride.
Relief.
Excitement.
Loneliness or all of them all at the same time.
People often talk about the emptiness as though it's mostly about missing our children.
And yes,
Of course,
That is part of it.
You may miss hearing them come through the door.
You may miss the noise.
Maybe just a little.
You might even miss the shoes in the middle of the floor and the dishes left places they absolutely do not belong.
But there's another part of this transition that I don't think we talk about enough.
It's what happens to you.
When they don't need you the same way.
Anymore.
For so many years,
Motherhood can give us a certain rhythm to our day.
There's somewhere to be.
Something to remember.
Someone who needs a ride,
A meal.
And appointment advice.
Or help finding something that somehow is directly in front of them.
And then slowly.
That changes.
Curl up.
Which is exactly what we raised them to do.
And you can be incredibly proud of the life your child is building and still miss.
The life you had together.
Those feelings don't cancel each other out.
You can be happy for them and sad for yourself.
You can enjoy some of your new freedom and still wish They were sitting on the couch.
Beside you.
You can know that this is a healthy transition and still.
Find it hard.
Because sometimes an empty nest isn't only about a quiet house.
It's about an identity shift.
For years.
Someone may have needed you in a very specific way.
And when that changes,
You might find yourself asking.
Okay.
Who am I when I'm not needed every minute?
What do I do with all of this extra space?
What else?
My relationship look like now.
What do I enjoy?
What do I miss?
And what do I want the next chapter of my life to be like?
Those are some big questions.
And you do not need to answer them all right now,
Today.
I think sometimes we put pressure on women to immediately celebrate this stage.
People say things like,
Now you have your freedom.
You can finally do whatever you want.
And maybe part of you does feel that way.
I think it could be.
But another part of you may be thinking.
Can I have a minute?
Because something important has changed.
Night,
Motherhood.
You're still their mom.
A particular season of motherhood.
May be ending.
And I think we're allowed to acknowledge that.
So take a deep breath in.
Slowly let it go.
You don't have to rush past the sadness just because.
This transition is supposed to happen.
And you also don't have to stay.
In the sadness.
There can be room for both grief and possibility.
So instead of putting pressure on yourself to figure out who you are now,
Just try becoming curious about yourself.
Again.
And ask yourself,
What makes me feel alive?
What do I miss?
If there is something you used to enjoy.
They got pushed aside.
If there is something you've always wanted to try.
Try it.
Maybe you want more time with friends.
Maybe you want to travel.
Maybe you want to create something.
Maybe you want to change careers.
Maybe you just want to sit there.
In your own house on a Saturday afternoon and enjoy the fact that nobody is asking you where their shoes are.
And maybe right now.
You don't know.
And that is okay too.
You don't need to reinvent yourself overnight.
You're getting to know yourself.
And a new season.
So if you take one thing from our time together today,
I wanted to be this.
Your children needed you differently.
Does not make you less needed,
Less important,
Or less of a mother.
Their lives are expanding.
And yours.
Is allowed to expand.
