The Your Empty Nest Coach Podcast, Episode 169
Challenge: Your Life's Toolbox (1/30)
FULL TRANSCRIPT
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Our topic today is an introduction to your life’s toolbox and to consider a journal for the 30-Day Challenge to Empty Nest Success.
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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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01:30
I am thrilled you are listening today! I have two housekeeping items and one news item:
Our First housekeeping item: If this is your first time listening to the podcast, know that episode 0 in Season 2 of the podcast is the best place to begin - the title is Getting Started with the 30-Day Challenge to Empty Nest Success.
And our second housekeeping item: This episode has a video with the same topic available in the Empty Nest Success home. The topic is the same with a different delivery and slight variations - I recorded it separately. The length is under 6 minutes long and in the description you’ll find additional journal prompts, quotes to consider as well as some other items.
For this video in particular, you’ll find links to my favorite journal & pen, in case you are curious.
A news item: I recently chatted with Susie Pettit of the “Love Your Life Show” which you may listen to wherever you listen to podcasts - or watch us chat on YouTube - we cover a tremendous amount of topics in our 40 minutes together! I enjoyed our shared energy very much. As always, you’ll find links in the show notes.
02:41
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In our last episode, I shared all about the challenge, answered questions and mentioned additional resources available.
For this, day one, I invite you to seriously Consider a Journal - keeping in mind that journaling can look different for each of us. Here are some suggestions:
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Use a traditional journal - your favorite paper and pen is always a good idea!
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Use the companion guidebook and printable page I have titled “Daily Journal!” Should you choose to use that, I highly recommend first spending a few moments filling out the “The Journey Begins” worksheet!
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You could use an online journal or app
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How about index cards with some stickers, markers, and then placing them in a decorative index card holder
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And no one’s stopping you from journaling to get your thoughts and ideas out of your head and then tossing or shredding the paper.
Don’t be afraid to think like your younger-self, your most creative self and if you do journal, be sure it brings you joy!
03:44
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Your Life’s Toolbox - which I also call the C.E.O. Toolbox. While, sure, you can purchase a real toolbox, make it super fun and note things that help you within it, but for these purposes, today - especially, we’re talking about an imaginary toolbox.
We are focusing on the items in the top of your toolbox today - you know those go-to, quick and easy to access items that you need a bit more often and usually not for really big projects? Those items.
Your assignment, should you choose to accept, is to begin paying attention to things that bring you joy; make you laugh; you might want to try; things that bring you peace; hobbies you love; hobbies you wanna try; people you love chatting with, and so on.
The beauty of having this toolbox and creating it, filling it up, making it yours is that you will have things ready to access for when you need them. Think of it as your first-aid kit. Emotions can toss you around a bit through the empty nest transition and while I’m a huge fan of embracing your emotions and moving through them, let’s be honest, there are times when you may not have the time to do that work, and in that case, a reset of some sort is what I recommend. A conscious reset can make all the difference.
For that conscious reset, let me give you an example: maybe for you, you love watching a certain topic of videos on YouTube. Maybe there’s some guilt about how much time you spend doing that - that's a whole ‘nother topic we won’t dive into now, but this being said, you know that you enjoy these videos and they make you happy.
There’s a big difference from mindlessly watching the videos for hours on end with no plan, versus gifting yourself with the time to watch them as a reset.
The presenting of the gift of time and the reset is up to you. But that consciously gifting - the time you use with those top of the toolbox items before you use them can make a tremendous difference in how you feel when you wrap up your time with them.
While it’s the same videos you’re watching, it’s a different energy as you watch it.
Knowing you’re consciously choosing it as a distraction is the difference. It’s the gift you give yourself.
I encourage you to pay attention to this and see if anything changes for you.
Over the 30 days of this challenge, look for a new top of your toolbox item each day. And at the end, you’ll have 30. That’s a great start for when you notice your emotions are a bit too much for you.
Here are a few top of the toolbox examples to get your creative juices flowing: coloring - yes with crayons; taking a walk or run; sitting in silence and focusing on your breathing; how about: sitting in silence and staring at a wall?; going to the gym; calling or texting a particular friend; watching something that makes you laugh; reading… I’d love to for you to share with us in the Empty Nest Success home, what fun things you come up with!
07:16
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Earlier, I mentioned that you may always download the companion guidebook for the Challenge but if you aren’t someone who will do that, I’d like to quickly review the content there, as it may be useful.
In the Journey Begins worksheet we start with:
“My thoughts about the empty nest” - this is where you add three thoughts that are “top of your mind” and that you believe.
There is power in getting those thoughts out of your head and onto paper.
The thoughts don’t matter. You aren’t judging them; you aren’t rating them; you aren’t beating yourself up about them. We are simply writing down words and becoming curious about them.
This isn’t a time for editing either.
The next section is similar:
You write down three emotions you have about the empty nest…
Then I ask you to answer the question:
Who am I?
So I ask you: Who are you?
Don’t overthink it, just write whatever comes to mind. You’ll do the same worksheet at the end of the 30 days to see if your answers have changed.
The last question that’s kind of thrown at the bottom of the page is: Do I believe that I am amazing?
Then, for the Daily Journal, if you like structure, here’s what I recommend: each day, note any thoughts that arise while listening to or watching the day’s content.
Then, note a win for you for the day - this is a personal win. It doesn’t need to be a big win, either. What do you need to celebrate - for you?
Then we are going to stretch you: note a dream that you have. Yes, each day we’re going to do this - the bigger the better. To be clear, we aren’t figuring out how to make them happen, we are simply tapping into the side of us that we may not be used to accessing. No editing. If it comes to mind, it makes your heart happy - even if it is pure fantasy - write it down. Maybe you want to fly to Neptune. Write it down. Use your imagination - it’s super fun!
If you aren’t noting those somewhere else, note a toolbox item: something from the day that you really enjoyed, that you could have in your go-to toolbox.
And finally, if you are so inclined, write this statement, or say it with me now “I am becoming the Conscious Effective Olympian of my life. I am a C.E.O. in Training.” You are! I’m so proud of you.
10:00
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Your journal prompt for today is to imagine yourself 30 days from now: someone who has journaled each day, [and] has discovered much about themselves. And ask yourself: How did you do it? Did you set a timer? Did you schedule it in your calendar every day? Did you send yourself voice memos? Did you sign up for the email reminders? Be creative and consider what a life of 30 days of short, fun, and easy journaling would look like for you.
10:36
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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! You’ll find links to additional resources, time markers and more in the show notes.
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Thanks for listening today, and don’t you dare forget that you are amazing!
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11:11
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11:27
Still listening? Yes, those were bloopers. I like to keep things real here, and also it reminds both you (and me) to find the funny in life.
On another note, Season 3 of this podcast will return to a weekly format with a focus on answering YOUR questions. To have your question (or comment) submission considered, submit it by DM’ing me on the socials - I’m @emptynestcoach in all the places but I do check TikTok and Instagram most often. Or, submit it through text or voicemail using 920-LIFEWIN that’s 920-LIFEWIN.
I look forward to hearing from you!
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