Why The Show Feels Different

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Hey there, my empty Nesh friends. Welcome back to a very special episode of the show. If you've been tuning in lately, you've noticed the studio has been, shall we say, a little crowded. We've had some incredible minds in that guest chair. We've talked about how downsizing and inner work can create a fuller life with Suzanne Johnson, breaking the bullshit box with Amber Furman, and even the science of pain with Dr. David Clark. And I've loved every single one of those conversations.

Wanting More Time Together

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But I'll be honest with you. Lately when I finish those interviews and the guest leaves the studio and the lights dim and I'm sitting here in the quiet, I find myself wishing I had more time with you. Because the truth is, I'm navigating this emptiness life right alongside you. Sure. My kids are 28 and 26, and I may be a few steps ahead of you, but I also might be a few steps behind. The truth is I'm not just the guy behind the mic. I'm the husband and the father and the son and the brother, and I'm having a ton of morning coffee thoughts that don't always make it into these expert interviews.

Solo Sessions Are Coming Back

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So I've decided to make a change. It's a change some of you have been asking me for for a while. And here it is. Alongside our guest episodes, I'm bringing back the solo sessions. Back to where this podcast started during the pandemic, when it was called Positivity on Fire. Back when the show became intentionally curious because that's where I was in my life. Long before the show was called This Emptiness Life, with weekly guest episodes, it was me. Me and my thoughts and me trying to make sense of life where I was. And these solo episodes, moving forward, they're gonna be my deep dives. The moments where I take what a guest said and I hold it up to the light of my own life and say, hmm, you know, it's one thing to hear an expert talk about finding your purpose or cleaning out your house, but it's an entirely different thing to stand in your kitchen on a Tuesday morning staring at a half empty or full empty pot of coffee and realizing the house is just way too quiet.

Morning Coffee And The Quiet House

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And can we talk about that for a second? That morning coffee That's where the struggle usually hits me first. For 20 years my mornings were a sprint. Lunch boxes, lost shoes, the mental checklist of someone else's schedule, many other people's schedules. And now, well, my coffee stays hot. And sometimes that hot coffee, well, it feels like a win. But other days it feels like a reminder of what's missing. And some days what's missing, well, that's a lot. And some other days it's little. But I've been thinking a lot lately about how we handle that silence. Is it a void we need to fill, or is it a space we need to protect? In our recent interviews, we've talked about getting out of our own heads and cleaning your closets and living our lives to the fullest. But I want to go

The Empty Nest Identity Shift

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deeper. I want to go deeper on the feeling of it, the the identity crisis that happens when the manager, the parent role, it's retired. And you're left with a consultant title that quite frankly nobody asked for when they started this journey as a parent.

What You Can Expect Next

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So here's my promise to you for these solo episodes. I'm going to be candid. I'm going to share the things that I'm wrestling with. The ideas that are waking me up at 3 a.m. And the guide on the side moments that are actually working for me and my kids. This chapter of our lives isn't a winding down. It's a winding up. But to get to the up, we have to be honest about the middle. So thanks for being here. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts over coffee today. And next week, we're going to get into one specific concept from our recent interviews, and I'm going to show you exactly how I'm failing and succeeding at applying it. Until then, keep your heart open, keep your coffee hot, and remember, you aren't just an empty nester, you're a pioneer of a whole new life.

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Thank you for listening to this empty nest life. Remember, this chapter isn't an ending. It's an invitation to redefine, rediscover, and reignite your

Invitation To Take The Next Step

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life. If today's episode sparks something in you, don't forget to take that first step and visit thisemptynestlife.com and click work with me to get the conversation started. Until next time, keep your heart open, your mind curious, and your spirit shining. This Empty Nest Life is a production of Impact One Media LLC, all rights reserved.