This week, I’m back to an empty nest. My daughter just returned to college after spending a fun summer at home with me.

As a creative momprenuer and mother of three young adults, the “empty nest” is a bittersweet ritual I know quite well. Yet, I still experience recurring pangs of sadness when my kids come home, and then leave again.

Over the past five years, my life has changed. After devoting 23 years of my life to marriage and motherhood, I found myself a divorcee, and living alone in an empty nest. But, I soon came to realize that it was an exciting time for me to reinvent myself.
Thankfully, I had (and still have) my art career!
Now, I fill my empty nest with my art, blogging, and social media careers. Art has broadened my horizons, taken me to amazing places around the world, and introduced me to exciting people. My life is full and busier than ever. Art has been my constant companion.
To all you moms, and dads of older children, I hope you plan to fill up your empty nest with your strengths and passions to help you avoid Empty Nest Syndrome.
The Mayo Clinic’s tips for coping with Empty Nest Syndrome:

  • Accept the timing. Avoid comparing your child’s timetable to your own experience. Instead, focus on what you can do to help your child succeed when he or she does leave home.
  • Keep in touch. You can continue to be close to your children even when you live apart. Make an effort to maintain regular contact through visits, phone calls, emails, texts, or video chats.
  • Seek support. If you’re having a difficult time dealing with an empty nest, lean on loved ones and other close contacts for support. Share your feelings. If you feel depressed, consult your doctor or a mental health provider.
  • Stay positive. Thinking about the extra time and energy you might have to devote to your marriage or personal interests after your last child leaves home might help you adapt to this major life change.

To prevent Empty Nest Syndrome, plan. The Mayo Clinic suggests looking for new opportunities in your personal and professional life. Keeping busy or taking on new challenges at work or home can help ease the sense of loss that your child’s departure might cause.
Thank you for helping me fill up my empty nest. I am grateful for your support of this blog. I appreciate the time you take to read and comment, for I know just how busy you are. ~Lori

Let’s also meet on Twitter, and on Google Plus, Pinterest, and join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page! Please checkout my art too LoriMcNee.com, or find me on Instagram lorimcneeartist. ~Lori

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