The magical season of fall has descended upon us. It’s my favorite time of year—golden leaves, incredible sunsets, and pumpkin spice lattes. But this Fall also meant our “last” college drop-off was happening. A moment I had thought about for a very long time.
So many emotions were flowing through my body: pride for her new chapter at her dream art school, a pang in my heart, and the quiet yet surprising and unexpected thrill of witnessing her independence beginning to bloom. As her dorm room began to take shape and new, lifelong friendships started to form, I knew I was in the thick of the bittersweet music of goodbye and the subtle promise of new adventures ahead. For both of us.
Hey Empty Nesters/Almost Empty Nesters. Karla here. How’s everybody doing? Like really, how are you? How was your summer? I hope it was a great one. Our summer was jam packed, and throughout it all, I’ve been thinking about You. I’m so grateful I get to serve you via our incredible platform, go through this phase of life with you, and continue to provide you with valuable insights and lessons via our newsletter, website, Facebook group, and book clubs. I truly want to make a difference in each and every one of your lives.
The Summer of Massive Change
Our family has been going through so many BIG changes over the past three months. It’s mind-blowing to think about what’s happened in the past 90 days. We sold our home of 13 years, our oldest daughter graduated college and moved to NYC, our youngest daughter graduated high-school and headed off to college in Atlanta, and we moved our middle daughter into her new dorm suite in Savannah. Meanwhile, on top of all that, Mark and I (plus our two dogs) made the big decision to move back home to Washington State after living in Park City for thirteen years. We haven’t bought a new home yet, so we crammed all of our belongings, and ourselves, into Mark’s stepmom’s house for the time being until we figure it out. (This could be a Netflix special on its own…open to your title suggestions☺) That’s a lot of massive change, but we are making the most of it as we learn to navigate the world together as brand-new empty nesters. And don’t even get me started about being part of the sandwich generation thing. That’s a whole ‘nother layer in our lives right now! I know some of you are nodding, “Yep. Me too. Totally get it.”, since so many of us in this community are going through the same milestones. It’s been a lot, but it’s been comforting to know I’m not alone. We are in this together, you and me.
Here’s a little summary of what happened at our drop off, and the surprise I never saw coming. Three weeks ago, we flew to Atlanta and moved our youngest into her college dorm, a familiar experience for us since we have done it twice before. I, personally, had spent the entire summer thinking about this moment, the “last one”, wondering was it was going to feel about the same or entirely different. I wasn’t sure how it would go. Would she cry? Would I cry—the ugly, head-to-toe kind of cry? Hope, nervous energy, fear, and pride swirled through me all at once. Can you relate?
When the day finally arrived, and all of the bags were loaded onto the plane, I had some time to reflect during the five-hour flight how best to handle this transition. I wanted to be genuinely excited for her and not focus on what was coming next, which I thought might be overwhelming and sad. I wanted to remain excited and hopeful for it to be fun and exciting. Since I couldn’t predict how this one would go because we are both positive and happy but also prone to crying (If one of us is crying, the other one soon follows suit), I decided to go in with zero expectations:
- Zero expectations about finding the right dorm stuff
- Zero expectations about her roommates
- Zero expectations about how much time she’d spend with them versus us
- And zero expectations about how the last goodbye hug/cry would be.
It wasn’t my idea to do this—I had read it somewhere, probably on an Empty Nest blog—but I decided I was going to lean into the moment, stay present, and even try to have a little fun.
A Moment of Metamorphosis
On the surface, it looked like many other drop-offs – busy buying up everything possibly known to mankind at Target, (aka the perfect shower caddy lol), unpacking so many boxes (Sooooo. Many. Boxes.), taking her roommate out to lunch (adorable), decorating her dorm room (actually she did that. She’s a perfectionist and would not let us touch her posters) and enjoying the beautiful campus and city together. But here’s the shocker. This drop off started to feel different right from the beginning, and it really caught me off guard, in a good way.
When you’ve done the inner work as I have and many of my readers and followers have, letting go can become a doorway rather than a wound. The fear of that empty nest “hole in your heart” feeling never filling back up starts to dissipate, and that fear can actually transform into a clear horizon where you begin rediscovering your own your creativity, purpose, and next big thing. Stick with me…
Time to say “So long”
Well, it was time. Our family headed down to her campus, walked to the courtyard where she told us to meet her, and waited. As we looked around, and after a few minutes, we could see her through the cafeteria windows, sitting with her with five brand-new roommates. They were laughing, playing introduce yourself games, and making plans for the future. Their future. Together. I was so happy for her. She came out into the courtyard, and we all shared a simple moment together: she hugged middle sis, Dad, and then me. And the hug and smile that followed told me everything my heart needed to know. My hug to her whispered “I know you’re ready and I will miss you so much.” But in reality, it was her hugging me and looking back with that sweet face that said, “Mom, I’m ready to soar. I’ve got this.” I can’t explain it, but I was at peace. Total peace. We said so long, see you in 10 weeks, and off she went. Poof! As we walked back to our hotel a little sooner than I expected, I did shed a few tears, but not many. And then they completely stopped, I closed my eyes and just smiled. I was so grateful for the calmness I felt inside. Earlier that afternoon, she had decided to have a first dinner with her roommates instead of a last dinner with us (Go Katie!), and you know what, it actually felt great. I was good. She was good. We were all going to be ok, well, actually more than ok. It was a great drop-off and launch out into the adulting world for her.
This moment marked a beautiful transformation for her and for me as a mother. This time, I didn’t fall apart (I need to write about my other drop offs in case you are in the middle of a tough one), and neither did she. It surprised me, especially since she’s my youngest and the other two drop offs hadn’t gone quite as smooth. Why had this drop-off been one of the easiest when I’d feared it would be the hardest? I’d spent the summer imagining how tough it would be, and it was the complete opposite. I think it felt different because I could feel her radiance and happiness grounding me, and most importantly, I had been preparing for this for years with the research I do and the book I wrote.
As I watched her begin her next chapter, I realized something essential: our job as moms isn’t to keep them under our roofs forever (though that sounds wonderful); it’s to arm them with a certainty they’ll carry into the world. Not all of my drop offs looked the same, but this time, she looked happy and confident – thriving even. It was a reminder that it’s time for moms like us to reclaim our own extraordinary identities in the spaces they’ve left behind. For me, that means stepping back into the full, vibrant versions of myself—wife, daughter, friend, author, coach, empty-nester guide, curious mid-lifer, and more.
The Course
That’s why, I’m so happy to announce the launch of our transformational “Best Empty Nest” Course—a 10-week collective, community driven journey for moms who want to embrace the next season with intention, clarity, and generous self-care. We’ve learned through our 7 Virtual book clubs that 4 weeks wasn’t enough for my readers to experience the true transformation they so desperately wanted. So we created a hands-on, 10-week course that will get you that clarity and transformation you are looking for.
- If you’ve ever feared that “letting go” means losing a part of you, this is for you.
- If you’ve wondered how to rebuild a rhythm that honors both your child’s independence and your own evolving identity, this is for you.
- If you’ve wanted to pour energy into your passions while staying the mom who shows up with warmth, steadiness, and a dash of magic, this is for you.
- If you’re an empty-nester mom who wants to design a life you’ve been dreaming of, I’d love to invite you into this conversation.
- If you’re feeling both the ache of letting go and the thrill of discovering your own unique identity, you’re not alone—and you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
It’s quieter now, yes, but my heart doesn’t feel empty. In fact, I just got off the phone with my youngest, and I’m smiling. She sounds good. I told her I was doing good too. Life is ripe with possibility, and I’m ready to fill up my own cup—and I invite you to join the community so I can show you how to do the same. When we lead with self-discovery, curiosity, and courage to try new things, our children learn from us and will follow in our footsteps. We are still their mothers when they are out of the house, and what we model for them matters.
As I stand in this new rhythm, I’m not clinging to old routines or the echo of a full-house life. I’m grounded in the work I’ve done—and in the freedom that comes when you design your next chapter with intention, creativity, and a roadmap, which is just what I have built for you. If my story is resonating and you’re ready to design your own thriving empty-nest journey, I’d love to invite you to join something special.
Join the Waitlist
There are only 50 spots for our November course, and I’m offering a sizable discount to my trusted early-adopter community. Thank you for your support from the beginning. It means a lot and I want to return the favor. Join the waitlist here for our design your Best Empty Nest: a 10-week transformational course for moms ready to redefine their next chapter.
Why join the waitlist now?
- Be the first to know when enrollment opens and secure one of the limited spots.
- Access early-bird pricing and a warm, supportive community of like-minded moms.
- Receive an autographed book and companion journal to get familiar with the content of the course before it starts. (for US in Canada only. Additional shipping costs apply for international members)
How to join: Visit our course page and register today! It’s a simple, one-step action that puts you on a path to reflect on the past, assess where you are in the present, and define what you want for your future. And we show you not just that what to do but the HOW.
I hope to see you over in the community. Thank you for walking this walk with me. It takes a village. I can’t wait to see the ways you’ll show up when you design your “Best Empty Nest.”
With warmth and belief in your next chapter,
P.S. If you’d like to share this with a friend who could use a hopeful, practical path into empty-nest living, feel free to forward this post or share the waitlist link. The more of us who step into our next chapters together, the brighter the journey becomes. Let’s do this! See you soon.
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