30-Day Challenge to Empty Nest Success: Embrace The Bittersweet💚 (2/30)

The Your Empty Nest Coach Podcast, Episode 170

Challenge: Embrace The Bittersweet (2/30)

FULL TRANSCRIPT

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Our topic today is about embracing the bittersweet as well as a recap of all of the 30-Day Challenge announcements.

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Hello amazing human and beautiful soul! I am your host, Coach Christine Oakfield bringing to you the 30-Day Challenge to Empty Nest Success.

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You'll find 167 episodes of content in season one of the Your Empty Nest Coach podcast. In this, the 30-Day Challenge to Empty Nest Success - or Season 2 -  I introduce 30 topics that have made a noticeable impact with my most successful clients. I invite you to use these episodes to begin uncovering who you are, whether the empty nest years are ahead of you, you're deep in them or even if your nest is becoming full again. You can move from freaking out to feeling freaking awesome about these years as you become the C.E.O.  - Conscious Effective Olympian - of your life. 

Tap through to EmptyNestSuccess.com to find the many resources I have created, as these are my gift to you! 

A special thanks to SupaPass whose technology powers our Empty Nest Success online home. 

Back to you, my listener, or C.E.O. in Training, are you ready to dive in? Here we go! 

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01:25

Amazing human, you may be wondering why I mentioned that there would be an announcement recap. Here’s my thinking: this empty nest success challenge is meant for you to have ideally, under ten minutes of an episode to introduce a concept to you. Rather than doubling the time of the remaining episodes by repeating these announcements each time, I’m going to trust that most of you will start with these first few, and will have everything you need, and if not, you’ll know to click through to my website or to check the show notes in order to be pointed in the right direction. 

My goal is for days 3- 30 of this challenge, we’ll jump almost immediately into the topic of the day and then allow you to dive into your day and continue on your journey in becoming the Conscious Effective Olympian of Your Life!

Before I recap the announcements, I’m thrilled that I have a brand new one today that is incredibly well-timed following our top-of the-toolbox episode! 

02:28 

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I’m thrilled to invite you to join me and over 100 other expert speakers in the Get Organized virtual HQ summit. I have a free ticket for you and it includes the special bonuses of an Event Facebook Group invite - yes, I’ll be popping in there from time to time - you also will receive an Attendee Roadmap and a Personalized Schedule Generator - as with over 100 sessions lined up, it may be hard to know where to begin. 

Honestly, I can’t sing the praises of the Get Organized HQ team enough. I’m a pretty type A, and a super organized human which means I have high standards when it comes to events and this one is unbelievable - all of the sessions are ready and waiting to go live, this team has also thought of every detail - you won’t be disappointed. 

For you my listener, I recommend using this summit as an opportunity to find some new top of the toolbox items or fun projects - I even created a YouTube video (I don’t do these often) [giggle] - it has some tips that will be live in a couple of days. It’s part of a wider playlist from other speakers in the event. And this playlist? It’s life hacks - I told you they thought of everything. 

Don’t miss this opportunity. I’m honored to be a part of it and recorded my session while taking a walk in the woods - the title of it is Thought Decluttering and More for Almost Empty Nesters and Empty Nesters - and, by the way, I’m not the only empty nest speaker. 

As always, you’ll find the link in my show notes. I hope to see you there and if you join the attendee Facebook Group, tag me and say “Hi!”

04:24

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Now for your quick review of the 30-Day Challenge to Empty Nest Success announcements and resources. You’ll find links in the show notes to the following: 

[bell sound] Videos for all of the 30-Day Challenge to Empty Nest Success days - if you prefer video to audio - or, maybe, you would like to reinforce the topics. 

[bell sound] A way to register for email delivery of the challenge videos

[bell sound] Links to a free downloadable companion workbook for the challenge, as well as an optional online journal upgrade, for a small investment 

By the way, there is a bonus coupon code in the workbook I just mentioned.

[bell sound] Information about my Group Coaching Program: the C.E.O. Training Team to Empty Nest Success, which you may join with or without private coaching sessions.

[bell sound] Links to follow me in two of my favorite social media platforms: TikTok and Instagram

[bell sound] There’s a special link with information on how to make a submission to Season 3 of this podcast, where I will return to a weekly format focusing on answering YOUR questions. I can’t wait to receive your submission!

[bell sound] The Empty Nest Success Online Home - where you’ll find - well, everything - links to all I just mentioned and more!

Finally, the entire challenge is brought to you by the C.E.O. Training Team to Empty Nest Success membership, powered by SupaPass. 

05:54

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Today’s topic is to embrace the bittersweet. You have 18+ years of memories, of relationship building, of getting comfortable in your role as your child’s parent, and as excited for them, you may also have competing emotions - depending on the moment. 

Bittersweet is the best word I have found to describe the emotions of this time - and you may be able to apply it to any major transition in your life. Know that your emotions may take you on a “bit of a journey,” and they might surprise you. One moment you are smiling ear to ear and the next you are a ball of tears because you miss the dirty dishes you used to complain about. 

Your emotional journey and your emotions are yours. Your emotions are fine to have because you are having them. Sure, they may take you for a ride, or maybe on a detour,  but you’ll get back where you need to be. First, claim that you feel the way you feel. Whether it is happy, sad, angry, anxious, or something else. Accepting the feeling allows you to do something with it - even if it is sitting with some ben and jerry’s ice cream while you watch your goto - that movie always makes me cry.

Embrace it all. Your emotions are a beautiful part of who you are and they have a lot to teach you about yourself. 

If you are able to catch your emotions and label them, it’s a good time to pat yourself on the back that you “caught them.” If you have an emotion that makes you uncomfortable, you can try saying to yourself, “I am feeling _____. And at the end of that statement, you could try adding one of two things: that is okay / or and it will pass - whichever feels better for you, or something else if it works for you. 

An important disclaimer that I must make and I really want you to hear: If you are unable to pull out of serious depression, or are having self-harm thoughts, please seek mental health resources! And, as always, I’m cheering you on.

If you are easily able to label and process through your emotions,  trust that you’ll be able to do more with your emotions in time but for now, embrace the changes and lean into the emotions that feel good. REALLY lean into those good ones!

08:25

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Your journal prompt for today is Do you have competing emotions about the empty nest? What are they? What if you are curious about them rather than annoyed with those that you don’t love? By the way, find more journal prompts on this episode’s companion video in the Empty Nest Success online home.

08:49

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As always, I provide content to make you think. My hope is that I am able to provide you with thoughts that positively impact your life. If you enjoyed this episode, I invite you to take a moment to follow this podcast - it is free after all - AND become this podcast's hero by sharing it with others!

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Thanks for listening today, and don’t you dare forget that you are amazing! 

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