When a child leaves home and we enter what is often called the second half of life, many of us start to look for ways to fill the space in our lives that the child had occupied. Some of us rejoin the workforce, use the extra time to further a career, or start volunteering. We might take continuing education classes, pursue long-held interests or explore previously untapped talents. Others are responding to a sense of newfound freedom by taking advantage of travel and leisure activities. Seeing friends more. Joining social groups or clubs. Seeing our children marry and enjoying grandchildren.
But as many of us know, this stage of life is not always smooth sailing. It can be a time when couples separate or divorce. We might struggle with how to communicate with a grown child. An empty nest can lead to depression and other problems. We or our spouses might begin to have health issues, or see our aging parents decline. A grown child might return home to live, or was never able to leave home due to a disability. Regardless of circumstances, what happens to us in the middle age shift seems to bring one kind of transition or another.
But in every situation, we have abundant opportunities to continue to adjust and grow. We can find new ways to hold our loved ones close while staying actively engaged in life, protecting our health, and keeping a sense of individual purpose. To feel relevant. We’ll be talking about it all on Empty Nest Network with a focus on the positive.