Ep 123 Melissa T. Shultz - How To Fix That Empty Feeling

Melissa T. Shultz​ has written about health and parenting for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Readers' Digest, AARP's The Girlfriend, Next Avenue, NBC's Today.com and many other publications.  She is the author of From "Mom To me Again" (How I Survived My First Empty-Nest Year and Reinvented the Rest of My Life) has some solutions for those left with an empty nest, how to survive and thrive. Nothing prepares you for your children leaving the nest.   I remember after I left home my father got choked up by the mark on our oak tree where the rope used to hang for our swing when we were growing up.   When our first two kids left the nest it was so empty at the dinner table, where we were used to lots of Laughter, stories, and antics of the day. I mourned the loss for two years   I cried when I left my youngest at kindergarten the first time I left him, because he was fine without me   I cried when we dropped our same son off to his college dorm room. When it was time to go it was all too soon. The time is over all too soon.   The thing is they will be fine without us. It is us as parents that will feel the greatest sense of loss.   Today we will bond over making peanut butter & jelly sandwiches decorated with hearts and smiley faces. How we put hearts notes in our children's lunches that said I love you. Listen to the podcast HERE   Questions Kim Asked: How do you get through the empty feeling your left with when kids leave for good? What did you do to reinvent yourself and repurpose your life? What are the common fears that women face when their kids leave the nest? Did your husband experience the same grief and how did he deal with it? When you've made your life about your kids  how do you figure out what your dreams are? Topics Discussed: The common fears that women face when left with an empty nest. How to transition while your kids are still in highschool to move forward smoothly.    Taking a new look at your friendships; losing old ones and developing new ones. How your relationship with your spouse will be affected. Make a list of your fears and tackle them one at a time Tweet quotes from the show: Pay it forward to other women  @melts4 @sisterhoodofsweat @chickfitstudio Writing your fears down really helps you tackle them. @melts4 @sisterhoodofsweat @chickfitstudio Make the shift from parenting to mentoring @melts4 @sisterhoodofsweat @chickfitstudio New adventures jolt you into being alive.  @melts4 @sisterhoodofsweat @chickfitstudio Being vulnerable actually draws people to you. @melts4 @sisterhoodofsweat @chickfitstudio "From Mom To Me again" Book Give Away - Leave 1 Empty Nest Tip To Enter Drawing For Melissa T' Shultz"s book and Hashtag #SisterhoodofSWEAT Get Melissa's Book - From Mom To Me  How you can stay in touch with Melissa: Facebook Twitter Instagram How you can stay in touch with Linda: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest YouTube SoundCloud   Resources Mentioned The Sisterhood of SWEAT   "Proud Sponsors of the Sisterhood of S.W.E.A.T"   Essential Formulas   My daily energy stems from mushrooms... mushroom coffee that is! Have you checked out Four Sigmatic yet? If you want a coffee that contains superfoods and adaptogens like rhodiola, eleuthero, and schisandra to help you live a healthier, more enhanced life, then you need Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee in your daily routine! Check out their products here and be sure to let me know what you think of it!