Super quick end of summer update
👉 and some FREE classes
When I say end of summer, I feel like a liar. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’re just getting started. While the school calendar says “pack up your swimsuit,” the Bay Area says, “not so fast, sister.”
So yeah, it’s technically the end of summer, but we’ll be sweating through October.
My faux end-of-summer update:
Over the past several months, I’ve been in a bit of a retreat. Part of it comes from my current season of part-time parenting. I’ve been focused on our small family and getting my taller-than-me kids ready for school — one entering their final year of high school, the other heading abroad to study.
Back in June, it hit me: this might be our last summer all together under one roof. Sure, there will be vacations (maybe?) and visits home (also maybe?), but the dynamic will be different. They’ll be more independent and I’ll be devoting much more time to my work and myself (see below)..
I’ve also been deeply leveled by our politics. As a highly sensitive person, the constant stream of heavy news feels utterly overwhelming.
I’m trying to walk that tightrope between staying informed and not spiraling into existential dread. It’s tricky. And while I know I’m not the only one feeling it, some days it sure feels like I am.
And, to top it all off…
A year and a half ago, I became hyper-focused on me.
First on my list was my post-menopause body (you can read about that here). Now, it’s my environment — my friendships, my wardrobe, my home. While the original goal was to lower stress, I now see these steps as practice for life on the other side of motherhood — the more we can do BEFORE our kids are out of the house, the better.
🌺 But even in this quieter season, I’m still here — planning, learning, and helping moms of tweens and teens navigate this weird, beautiful, bittersweet shift into the next stage of parenting.
Here a few free things to make your own transition smoother:
Empty Nest Prep — Simple but surprisingly powerful steps for easing into an empty nest.
Surviving College Drop-Off: 29 Crowdsourced Tips from Parents Who Lived to Tell the Tale — If you or a friend is about to drop off a college freshman, read this before you hit the road.
Free Workshop: Finding Your Passion and Purpose Beyond Motherhood — If you liked my idea of starting to shift the focus back to you before the kids leave the house, this short, sweet, and oh so good class is the perfect place to start.
🥂 Here’s to continually learning more about who we are and what we want out of life.
❤️ Jennifer
P.S. I would love to know your thoughts on whatever stage of parenting you’re in. Are you pre-empty nest too? Or maybe still in the full-time mom stage with kids under 10?
What is life like for you right now? How are you feeling about yourself or your motherhood journey?