Sometimes, starting again doesn’t begin with a plan, it begins with time.

In this episode, I share the story behind something I did last year that surprised me: I wrote a novel in 30 days. 

And what writing that book taught me about starting again had very little to do with writing, and everything to do with identity, permission, and this season of life.

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👉 Curious about the in-progress novel I mention in the episode?

Send me a DM on Instagram and just write “I’m reading.” I’ll send you the current draft. IG: https://www.instagram.com/drthor.tv

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If you enjoyed this episode, I invite you to join my free weekly newsletter, Encore Living Insider.

That’s where I share reflections like this one, along with what I’m working on next — small ideas, gentle reframes, and prompts to help you navigate this season of life with a little more clarity and ease.

👉 Sign up for Encore Living Insider here: https://insider.drthor.tv

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If you’re in midlife — especially if you’re a parent with a kid now off at college — you might be realizing something strange.

You have time again.

Not "stolen" time. Not five-minute windows. But real, open space.

And that can feel surprisingly uncomfortable.

In this episode of Encore Living, I talk about why starting something new can feel harder after you’ve been really good at something for a long time — and how the story you once lived inside as a parent can quietly shape what you believe you’re allowed to do next.

Using my experience of writing a novel as the lens, I explore three ideas that apply to any midlife beginning:

• Why the stories we tell ourselves about who we are can quietly keep us stuck
• How changing the “container” makes starting feel possible again
• And why identity doesn’t come before action, it follows it

This episode isn’t about productivity or reinventing your entire life.

It’s about what happens when a big chapter ends… and you suddenly have time to spare.

If you’re an empty nester, a midlife parent, or someone standing at the edge of a new beginning, unsure where to start, or worried about betraying who you’ve been, this conversation is for you.

As I share in the episode, sometimes the best way to become who you want to be isn’t to decide everything in advance.

It’s to take one honest step… and let a few people see you while you’re becoming.

P.S. If someone came to mind while you were listening, feel free to share this episode with them. Sometimes the most reassuring thing we can offer is a reminder:

You’re not behind. And you don’t have to decide everything yet.

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

After a big chapter ends, the hardest part isn’t knowing what’s next. It’s giving yourself permission to pause.

###

If you enjoyed this episode, I invite you to join my free weekly newsletter, Encore Living Insider.

That’s where I share reflections like this one, along with what I’m working on next — small ideas, gentle reframes, and prompts to help you navigate this season of life with a little more clarity and ease.

👉 Sign up for Encore Living Insider here: https://insider.drthor.tv

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After a big chapter ends, there’s often a quiet moment no one prepares you for.

The kids are grown.
A career chapter closes.
A long season of responsibility winds down.

And instead of relief or clarity, a different question shows up:

What now?

In this episode of Encore Living, I explore that in-between space through an unexpected lens — imagining what Luke Skywalker might have done the day after saving the galaxy in Star Wars.

Not the next movie.
Not the next mission.
Just the day after the big win.

Because chances are, he didn’t immediately try to figure out the rest of his life.

And maybe… you don’t have to either.

In this episode, I talk about three simple, very human things Luke might have done on his day off — and what they can teach us about navigating midlife transitions without rushing ourselves:

• Why rest often shows up after a chapter ends, not during it
• Why celebration isn’t indulgent — it’s acknowledgment
• And why putting the world in “airplane mode” can create space for something new to emerge

If you’re a parent or empty nester who’s feeling unsettled, reflective, or quietly wondering what comes next, this episode is for you.

As I share in the episode, the pause between stories isn’t a problem to solve — it’s a space to inhabit.

Here’s a simple question to sit with after listening:

Which part of Luke’s day off do you need most right now?

Not what would impress anyone.
Not what would make sense on paper.

Just what would help you honor what you’ve already lived.

P.S. If someone came to mind while you were listening to this episode, feel free to share it with them. Sometimes the most reassuring thing we can offer is the reminder: You don’t have to decide everything yet.

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

If you enjoyed this episode, I invite you to join my free weekly newsletter, Encore Living Insider.

That’s where I share reflections like this, along with what I’m working on next — small ideas, gentle reframes, and prompts to help you navigate this season of life with a little more clarity and ease.

👉 Sign up for Encore Living Insider here: https://insider.drthor.tv

When your kid goes back to school, it can stir up more than we expect.

They’re stepping into a new semester — new classes, new routines, new conversations — while you’re left asking a quieter question:

What about me?

In this episode of Encore Living, I explore a simple but powerful idea:

What if, instead of trying to figure out the rest of your life, you thought of this season as your own semester?

Not literally going back to college. No dorms. No degrees. No student loans.

But borrowing the way college actually works — experimenting, changing your mind, learning as you go — and applying it to midlife.

In this episode, I talk about three things college already taught us, and how they can bring relief right now:

• Why declaring a major doesn’t have to be permanent
• Why dropping a class isn’t failing — it’s information
• And why you’re allowed to have at least one thing you love in your life again

If you’re a parent or empty nester who’s feeling stuck, restless, or quietly wondering what’s next — this episode is for you.

As I mention in the episode, your kid isn’t trying to solve their entire future this semester.

They’re focused on the next few months. And maybe you’re allowed to do the same.

Here’s a simple question to sit with after listening:

If the next 15 weeks were your semester… what would you explore?

Not what would impress anyone. Not what would make sense on paper.

Just what feels worth showing up for.

P.S. If someone came to mind while you were listening to this episode, feel free to share it with them. Sometimes the most helpful thing we can say is, “You’re not late — you’re just in a new semester.”

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

If you enjoyed this episode, I invite you to join my free weekly newsletter, Encore Living Insider.

That’s where I share reflections like this, along with what I’m working on next — including a free upcoming bonus called “99 Ways to Celebrate You.”

👉 Sign up for Encore Living Insider here:  https://insider.drthor.tv

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January has a way of rushing us forward before we’ve had a chance to look back.

In this episode of Encore Living, I talk about why—especially if you’re a parent or empty nester—this might actually be the perfect moment to pause and celebrate what you’ve already lived through.

Not in a forced, confetti kind of way. But in a grounded, honest, “that mattered” way.

If your house feels quieter than it used to…
If your kid just went back to school…
If you’re feeling a little behind heading into the new year…

This episode is for you.

As I mention in the episode, before you decide what comes next, make a list of the most memorable things you did last year.

Big things. Small things. Moments that took energy, courage, or heart.

To give you a sense of what I mean, here’s my list from 2025:

🗽 NYC for my birthday
🎭 Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway
🖼️ NYC museums
📚 Taught an 8-week Let Them Theory class
🌴 Cabo villa (with a chef!)
🇫🇷 Traveled through France for 12 days
🪖 Normandy
🙏 Finished a year-long spiritual program
✍️ Wrote my first novel in 30 days
🔥 Led Whatever It Takes (30 days)
🎓 Ordained as a minister
🚪 Retired after 8 years
🎉 Made it to 2026

When I put it all in one place, I didn’t feel behind anymore. I could actually see what I did. And celebrate it.

After you make your list, ask yourself:

What kind of person does this list describe?

Then finish this sentence:

“I’m the kind of person who…”

P.S. If someone came to mind while you were listening this, feel free to share the episode with them.

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

If you enjoyed this episode, I invite you to join my free weekly newsletter, Encore Living Insider.

That’s where I share reflections like this, along with what I’m working on next — including a free upcoming bonus called “99 Ways to Celebrate You.”

👉 Sign up for Encore Living Insider here:  https://insider.drthor.tv

**********************

There’s a moment in early January when you’re putting away the holiday decorations and you suddenly stop.

You’re holding an ornament.
Or a wreath.
Or maybe a holiday mug you don’t even remember buying.

And you think:
Why do I own this?
And maybe… do I still need it?

In this episode of Encore Living, I talk about how that moment—packing things away after the holidays—can become a powerful metaphor for this season of life, especially if you’re an empty nester (or close to it).

Because January isn’t just about putting away decorations.
It’s about deciding what you’re ready to stop carrying forward.

If your house feels unusually quiet…
If your kid just left after the holidays and won’t be back for months…
If January feels heavier than you expected…

This episode is for you.

January invites us to do more than declutter our homes.

It gives us permission to ask:

• What beliefs am I done carrying?
• What pressures no longer belong in this season?
• What part of me feels ready to wake up again?

Not forever.
Not dramatically.
Just… for now.

Putting something away doesn’t mean erasing your past.
It means making room for what’s next.

Reflection questions from the episode

You might want to sit with these slowly, or come back to them later:

• What belief from last year am I ready to put away for now?
• What pressure am I carrying that doesn’t belong in this season?
• What small part of me feels ready to wake up again?

January isn’t asking you to have everything figured out.
It’s just asking you to clear a little space.

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

It’s April—aka College Decision Month. Your teen is making a huge life decision. But have you stopped to consider your own?

Subscribe to Dr. Thor’s FREE Encore Living Insider newsletter here > Encore Living Insider

Sign up for an Encore Roadmap Strategy Session with Dr. Thor here > Encore Roadmap Session

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

If you're an empty nester (or soon-to-be), now is the perfect time to ask: What do I want next? This episode is about reclaiming your power to choose—and giving yourself permission to start planning your next chapter, just like your teen is planning theirs.

In this episode:

• "My kid is making a huge decision—shouldn’t I be focused on them?"
  Yes—but don’t forget your own future matters too. You can support them and invest in yourself.
• "I’ll figure it out later."
  Will you? Or will you keep waiting for the 'right time'? (Spoiler: now is the right time.)
• "Okay… but where do I start?"
  I’ll give you one small decision you can make this week to start shaping your next chapter.

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

Feel lost after the kids leave? You're not alone. Today I share one shift that can change your empty nest experience.

Subscribe to Dr. Thor’s FREE Encore Living Insider newsletter here > Encore Living Insider

Sign up for an Encore Roadmap Strategy Session with Dr. Thor here > Encore Roadmap Session

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

In this heartfelt episode of Encore Living, Dr. Thor unpacks a feeling many people experience but rarely talk about — that disorienting sense of loss after your kids leave home.

If you’ve ever said, “I should be enjoying this, but I just feel… off,” you’re not alone. This episode offers validation, perspective, and a gentle path forward.

It’s not a midlife crisis — it’s a midlife recalibration. And it’s 100% normal.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the empty nest often triggers identity confusion (even when you were “ready”)
• The unexpected emotional wave that follows years of parenting
• How to honor your feelings without rushing to “fix” them
• Why feeling lost can be the starting point for your greatest chapter
• A simple mindset shift to help you start living with more clarity and confidence

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

Ever found yourself caught in the traffic, complaining about how it's ruining your day? What if I told you that you can transform your life by simply changing the way you react to such situations? 

In this episode, I continue to break down my experience in "No Complaining Week." I just completed this week in "Mental Muscle," a spiritual boot camp experience I've done multiple times.  "No Complaining Week" happens in the second week of "Mental Muscle."

Drawing from this experience, I delve into the negative power of complaining, and how it strips us of our power to take control of our lives.

This episode is an exploration of the causes and consequences of complaining, with a focus on making positive changes to our habits.

I share my personal experiences and the questions I ask myself when I notice a complaint brewing, inspired by the teachings of Dr. James Mellon and the wisdom of Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle. 

We'll also examine the underlying beliefs that often provoke our complaints.

As always, thanks for listening!

You can find Dr. James Mellon's book, "Mental Muscle", here on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/2Eo6s4y

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

Ready to break free from the endless loop of complaints? Join me in this first episode of a four part-series on complaining.

In this episode, I explore why complaining rarely solves problems. The key takeaway: redirecting your energy toward proactive solutions can change your life.

Inspired by Dr. James Mellon's "Mental Muscle: 16 Weeks of Spiritual Boot Camp," I'll explore the foundation of complaining and how it reflects our unconscious mind. 

• When are you most likely to complain? 
• What situations or relationships trigger your complaints? 
• And most importantly, what can you do about it? 

I'll delve into these questions and more, using insights from Randy Pausch's Last Lecture to guide our thoughts. 

By the end of our discussion, I hope to inspire you to invest your energy into solving problems rather than complaining about them, and in doing so, achieve greater happiness and fulfillment in your life.

As always, thanks for listening!

You can find Dr. James Mellon's book, "Mental Muscle", here on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/2Eo6s4y

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/

In this episode, I share my perspective on a TED talk given by author Anne Lamott. Her talk is called, "12 Truths I Learned From Life and Writing."

You can find her talk HERE.

As I mentioned, you can watch MY TEDx talk here:

https://www.thorchallgren.com/tedx

Anne Lamott shares 12 truths in her talk, and I look at 3 of them in this episode. Here are three quotes from her talk that I unpack:

• "Every writer you know writes really terrible first drafts, but they keep their butt in the chair. That's the secret of life. That's probably the main difference between you and them. They just do it. They do it by prearrangement with themselves. They do it as a debt of honor. They tell stories that come through them one day at a time, little by little."
• “Everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. Including you.”
• "Everyone is screwed up, broken, clingy and scared, even the people who seem to have it most together. They are much more like you than you would believe, so try not to compare your insides to other people's outsides."

I love this talk and highlight recommend you watch it, and listen to my thoughts on it, and how we can apply it in our own lives.

As always, thanks for listening!

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @drthor.tv
Dr. Thor on TikTok @drthor.tv

Website: https://drthor.tv/