The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined: Parenting Teens and Finding Yourself Again—with Small Jar Coach

Two years ago, I recorded an episode about the last 100 days before my oldest son's high school graduation—full of emotion, nostalgia, and the feeling that time was slipping away. Now, I'm here again, counting down the last 100 days with my youngest, but this time, everything feels different. In this episode, I reflect on how much I've grown, how my perspective has shifted, and what I’ve learned a...

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #3 - Comparison Trap Have you ever found yourself scrolling through social media, seeing another mom’s perfectly happy family vacation, and feeling that pang of “Why can’t I have that?” Or maybe you’ve heard about another teen’s big achievement and suddenly questioned whether you’ve done enough for your own child? In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest...

I used to think self-awareness meant being brutally honest about all the ways I was falling short—until I realized that what I thought was awareness was actually just self-judgment. In this episode, I’m redefining what true self-awareness really looks like and how shifting your perspective can change everything. You’ll learn why self-judgment keeps you stuck, how to recognize sneaky mindset traps...

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #2 - All-or-Nothing Thinking In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast , I’m diving into the second mindset trap on the road to the empty nest—all-or-nothing thinking. You know the feeling: if your teen misses a curfew, your brain leaps to worst-case scenarios, or if you’re not the 'perfect mom,' you fear you’re failing altogether. But here’s what you...

As moms, we're always trying our best. You pour your heart into your kids. But as they pull away, or as you approach the empty nest, it can feel really hard. In fact, during this transitional time of life, there are many things that can feel really hard.  Just looking on the bright side isn't an option. In this episode, I’m sharing a deeply personal story about one of the hardest moments I’ve...

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #1 - Emotional Reasoning Are you ready to take a closer look at the mindset traps that keep us stuck as moms approaching the empty nest? In this episode of my new series on the mindset traps of the empty nest, I'm tackling Mindset Trap #1, and that is the emotional rollercoaster that so many of us moms find ourselves riding. I’ll share why we often feel...

Join me for a Mindset Trap 101. In this episode, I continue The Almost Empty Nest Podcast's new series on Midlife Mindset Traps by exploring what they are, how they form, and how they intertwine with our instincts as humans. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode... First, you'll learn how mindset traps are fueled by subconscious biological responses that are completely normal and natural....

Join me as I wrap up the three-part introduction to The Almost Empty Nest Podcast's  new series on Midlife Mindset Taps with a deep dive into the instinct to conserve energy—what I call "keeping it simple." I explore how this instinct has evolutionary roots and helps us create habits, routines, and efficiencies in our lives. But I also explore how this instinct can hold us back when life...

Welcome back to Part II of the introduction to this new series on The Almost Empty Nest Podcast   where I dive into the mindset traps that can hold us back as moms of teens and almost empty nesters. This week focus on our instinct to avoid pain and how this shapes the lens through which we view our role as parents and our kids' moods, behavior and outcomes. This basic instinct is a reall...

As we stand on the threshold of 2025, I invite you to join me for a journey through the lessons, growth, and pivotal moments that have defined my past five years. In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast , I reflect on the evolution of motherhood, the transition into an empty nest, and the profound realization that loving unconditionally and leading with intention is the key to thriving in...

This week on The Almost Empty Nest Podcast , I'm kicking off a transformative new series on Midlife Mindset Traps that keep us stuck in frustration and anxiety. If you find yourself struggling as a mom to find peace, connection, and purpose, this episode is for you. In this first episode, I dive into how our instinct to seek comfort can sometimes lead us astray, leaving us feeling depend...

10 out of 10! 5 stars! Excellent! Amazing! Wouldn't it be nice if you could reflect on the upcoming holidays with this sentiment?  In this episode of the Small Jar Podcast, I explore how...not by creating perfect circumstances, but by taking ownership of your emotional experience. Like a teacher, we have an internal "rubric" for judging our lives. But this often leads to disappointment w...

Join me as I open up about the emotional tug-of-war that comes with parenting a high school senior as they prepare to leave the nest. It’s a time of mixed emotions—grappling with pride, fear, and the bittersweet realization that life is changing. I share personal stories and insights on how to let go of the expectations that often define our connection with our teens, and instead, learn to embrace...

  The emotions of parenting teens can hit hard—whether it’s waiting for big college news, managing the quiet shift of an almost-empty nest, or navigating the bittersweet joy of watching your kids grow up. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing one of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned as a mom: how to create unconditional love, connection, and purpose—no matter the challenges or changes...

  The holiday season is upon us—filled with joy, love, and, let’s be honest, a fair share of stress. In this episode, I invite you to consider that peace isn't something you have to earn...but instead something that you have the power to choose. Join me as I share how you can step off the hamster wheel of expectations—your own and everyone else's—and truly embrace a sense of ca...

As a mom of teens, I know how easy it is to slip into dread—whether it’s the emotional minefield of parenting, the stress of the holidays, or the quiet ache of the empty nest creeping in. In this episode, I share how I’ve learned to stop overthinking and start letting go of what I can’t control. Dread isn’t just anxiety—it’s the belief that hard things are inevitable and that we’ll be powerless wh...

The holidays are approaching, and as midlife moms, the season can feel like a swirling storm of expectations, obligations, and emotions. We juggle so much—family traditions, holiday planning, our children’s ever-changing needs, and the bittersweet reality of approaching the empty nest. It’s no wonder we feel stretched thin. Overwhelm can manifest as a tangled web of stress, anxiety, guilt, an...

Welcome back to the Small Jar's ONE Obstacle series where we’re diving into the one thing holding so many of us back from creating the happiness we want in midlife. This week, I’m diving into that tricky emotion we all encounter but rarely name: disappointment. Why is it so hard to admit that we’re disappointed—sometimes with our lives, our relationships, or even with ourselves? Let’s talk ab...

Welcome back to the second episode in Small Jar's new series where we’re diving into the one thing holding so many of us back from creating the happiness we crave in midlife. In this episode, I’m diving into one of the most common obstacles we face in midlife—worry. Whether it’s our kids, our relationships, or uncertainty about the future, worry can consume us, leaving us feeling powerless and dis...

Welcome to a brand-new series on the Small Jar Podcast where we’re diving into the one thing holding so many of us back from creating the happiness we crave in midlife. If you’re a mom of teens or an empty nester, feeling like your world is shifting as your kids grow more independent, you’re not alone. What if I told you that there's one obstacle keeping you stuck, and that understanding this obst...

As moms in midlife, we face a lot of challenges. In this week's episode, I'm diving into something that’s been heavy on my heart lately—navigating my son's senior year, the pressure of college applications, and all the emotions that come with it. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by stress or found yourself worrying endlessly about your child’s future, you’ll want to listen in. I'll be sharing the r...

No matter how old your child, no matter what else you have on your plate, I bet you drop everything if they need you. It's just what we do as moms.  You do everything in your power to support their dreams. We're working so hard to support the needs of everyone else in our life. But, who's taking care of us?  Even though we wouldn't trade anything for the gift of being a mom, th...

Let's talk about this phrase, "letting go."  As we raise our teens and approach the empty nest, the thought of "letting go" of our kids is painful. It can make us feel like we need to hold on tighter, or dread a time when we really will have to let go. We think it means we have to let go of our desire to keep our kids safe and help them be happy and successful. We can think he means we have t...

How often does the phrase, "I don't know," come to mind or out of your mouth? I don't know how to get my teen to listen. I don't know why my daughter is always angry. I don't know whether I should get involved. I don't know what I should do next. Sound familiar? There are some times where you literally don't know. In other words, there are facts that you don't have. Other times, we fall into...

If you've ever found yourself caught in a whirlwind of frustration, resentment, or feeling out of control because of how others are behaving—whether it's your kids, your spouse, or others in your life—you are not alone. Most of us give away our emotional power waiting for others to behave a certain way so we can feel okay.  The problem is, this keeps us dependent on the circumstances of our l...