MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #6 - Personalization

Ever feel like your teen’s bad mood is somehow your fault? In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I’m diving deep into one of the most painful and sneaky mindset traps we moms fall into—personalization. It’s that gut-wrenching habit of making our kids’ struggles, choices, and emotions mean something about us. I’ve lived it, I’ve coached through it, and I’ve seen how it quietly steals our peace and strains our connection with our kids. But here’s the truth: this trap isn’t who you are—it’s just a pattern your brain has learned. And once you see it, you can start to let it go. Join me for a heartfelt look at how to release the guilt, reclaim your power, and show up with the love and presence you’ve always wanted to give.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

Have you ever felt like you're living in two worlds at once—still deep in the trenches of motherhood while also staring down an almost-empty nest? I know I have. In this episode, I dive into what I call the Empty Nest Straddle—that long, messy, emotional transition where you're constantly shifting between holding on and letting go. It’s the push and pull of still being needed while feeling your child drift into their own independence. And if you’ve ever wrestled with uncertainty, control, or the fear of what comes next for you, you’re not alone. I’ll share why this transition feels so hard, the mindset traps that make it even harder, and how we can start trusting ourselves to navigate this season with more peace, confidence, and clarity.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #5 - Perfectionism

In this episode, I’m digging into one of the most exhausting and invisible traps so many of us fall into—perfectionism. You might think you're just trying to do your best, but what if that constant pressure to get it all right is actually making motherhood—and life—so much harder than it has to be? I’ll share how perfectionism shows up in ways you might not expect, how it affects your relationship with your teen, and how it keeps you stuck in fear and self-doubt. Most importantly, I’ll show you how to begin letting go of this impossible standard so you can step into more peace, trust, and confidence as both a mom and a woman in your next chapter.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

Some moms dread the empty nest...and some of us....can't wait. Have you ever found yourself counting down the days until your child leaves home (either for the first time or after a visit)—but then feeling guilty about it? In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I dive into the emotional rollercoaster of looking forward to the empty nest while still holding space for the deep love we have for our kids. Why do some of us feel relief at the thought of reclaiming our time, while others struggle with the idea of letting go? And most importantly, why do we wait to feel better—believing peace, joy, and purpose will come after our kids leave? What if we didn’t have to wait? Join me as we unpack these emotions and explore how you can start embracing the next chapter of your life right now.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #4 - Illusion of Control

Have you ever found yourself checking your kid, reminding them (again) about their responsibilities, or feeling that tight grip of anxiety when they don’t do what you ask or hope they'll do? If so, you’re not alone. In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I dive into one of the biggest mindset traps we face as moms of teens—the illusion of control. For years, we’ve shaped our children’s lives, guiding them, protecting them, ensuring their happiness. But as they step into independence, we find ourselves holding on tighter, convinced that if we just say or do the right thing, we can keep them safe, successful, and happy. The truth? We were never in control to begin with. And the more we try, the more frustrated, exhausted, and disconnected we feel. In this episode, I’ll show you why letting go doesn’t mean giving up—it means finding peace, trust, and a whole new way to connect with your big kid.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

Two years ago, I recorded an episode about the last 100 days before my oldest son's high school graduation—full of emotion, nostalgia, and the feeling that time was slipping away. Now, I'm here again, counting down the last 100 days with my youngest, but this time, everything feels different. In this episode, I reflect on how much I've grown, how my perspective has shifted, and what I’ve learned about letting go, trusting the journey, and embracing this season with peace instead of fear. If you’re feeling the weight of change and wondering how to navigate it with grace, this one’s for you.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #3 - Comparison Trap

Have you ever found yourself scrolling through social media, seeing another mom’s perfectly happy family vacation, and feeling that pang of “Why can’t I have that?” Or maybe you’ve heard about another teen’s big achievement and suddenly questioned whether you’ve done enough for your own child? In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I dive into the comparison trap—one of the sneakiest mindset traps that keeps us feeling inadequate and anxious. I’ll unpack why our brains are wired to compare, how it distorts our sense of worth, and most importantly, how to break free from this cycle so you can step into confidence, peace, and the truth that you are already enough.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

I used to think self-awareness meant being brutally honest about all the ways I was falling short—until I realized that what I thought was awareness was actually just self-judgment. In this episode, I’m redefining what true self-awareness really looks like and how shifting your perspective can change everything. You’ll learn why self-judgment keeps you stuck, how to recognize sneaky mindset traps disguised as "truth," and the simple but powerful shift that will help you trust yourself and move forward with confidence. If you’ve ever felt like you’re your own worst critic, this episode is for you. Listen now and start seeing yourself in a whole new way!

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #2 - All-or-Nothing Thinking

In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I’m diving into the second mindset trap on the road to the empty nest—all-or-nothing thinking. You know the feeling: if your teen misses a curfew, your brain leaps to worst-case scenarios, or if you’re not the 'perfect mom,' you fear you’re failing altogether. But here’s what you might not believe—you’re not falling into this trap because you’re anxious or overreacting. In fact, your brain thinks it’s protecting you. I’ll show you why this instinct to think in extremes is actually a survival mechanism, how it sneaks into your parenting without you noticing, and—most surprisingly—how letting go of this mindset can make you feel more in control, not less. If you’ve ever felt trapped in black-and-white thinking, this episode will open your eyes to the freedom waiting in the gray.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.

As moms, we're always trying our best. You pour your heart into your kids. But as they pull away, or as you approach the empty nest, it can feel really hard. In fact, during this transitional time of life, there are many things that can feel really hard.  Just looking on the bright side isn't an option. In this episode, I’m sharing a deeply personal story about one of the hardest moments I’ve faced as a mom—and what it taught me about love, letting go, and trusting myself. If you’re struggling with the emotional rollercoaster of raising and launching your kids, feeling overwhelmed, or just wishing this stage didn’t feel so hard, this episode is for you. You are not alone, my friend. And you don’t have to figure this out by yourself.

🎯 Want to take this work deeper? Save your seat for the next free masterclass—click here to sign up: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at [email protected]. 

This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.