The Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest

That thing that was once waaaayyy in the future has come and gone now for Becky: dropping her oldest off at college. It’s hard. It’s weird. It’s abrupt. It’s hopeful. It’s rewarding. And everything in between.

Today we are chatting about redefining your role as a mother and your relationship with kids as they get older and enter new life seasons. There definitely are wise and not so wise ways to do this!

Things you’ll hear today:

1. What changes when you become your child’s guide 

2. How to support your kids, even if you don’t agree with their decisions

3. The risks that come with imposing parenting when the stage of life calls for being a guide

4. Why trusting your skills as a mother helps you trust your kids later on in life

5. The best way to “let your kids go” and encouragement for this time

6. Navigating how often to reach out to your kids once they move out

7. Signs your kids are not feeling judged for their life choices

8. How to NOT put your emotional care on your children (example texts provided!)

9. Considerations for the feelings of the kid(s) still in the nest

10. A helpful mindset to have to live in the moment

Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

Connect with Anne:

⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

Instagram

Connect with Becky:

Website⁠

⁠Her books⁠

The Inspired Business podcast

Back to school season is in full swing right now. New school supplies, check. New teachers, check. Fresh starts for kids AND moms? Also check!

Today we are diving into the pros and cons of summer vs the regular school year. Each time of year brings a different set of challenges for moms but also unique blessings! You'll also find inspo in this conversation and practical ideas to help you discover the exciting next chapter of your life as a daughter of God.

You’ll hear today:

1. What we love about summer and what we enjoy about the school year

2. How bringing back routine impacts your physical time and your mental time

3. Thoughts on organizing your extra time during the school year

4. Things Anne and Becky miss about having younger kids and things they are glad they don’t have to deal with anymore! 

5. How Becky is using work as a healthy tool right now, while her mama heart is hurting about missing her kids

6. Why it’s important to remember your kid’s childhood is only a small/short part of your life

7. Inspiration for finding what’s next for you as a mom once the kids are out of the house

Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

Connect with Anne:

⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

Instagram

Connect with Becky:

Website⁠

⁠Her books⁠

The Inspired Business podcast

Today is a unique style episode: we recorded this in real time for you! We thought it would be insightful to interview Becky on how it’s feeling IN THE THICK OF THINGS. Sometimes with the passing of time, our recollections of events and attached emotions can dim …  so why not check in while the hard thing is happening?

This special and emotional episode (grab the tissues!) reads sorta like a counselling session or big sister talk between Anne and Becky. Perhaps some of you are in the very same boat as Becky and if so, we pray this vulnerable episode is one of solidarity, hope, and practical encouragement! 

You’ll hear today:

1. How grief is being expressed for Becky at this time (pre-grief is a thing!)

2. The tension of “both and” (so feeling two opposing things at once)

3. How to soak in your last summer with your kid AND give them more rope for independence 

4. Things Anne remembers about this “weirdest summer” of your life as a mom

5. Helpful AND vulnerable conversations to have with your kid about them leaving

6. Disappointments that have happened to Becky, things that can’t be distractions anymore from feeling her feelings (a blessing in disguise)

7. The temptation to switch to another identity once your mom identity shifts 

8. Why your kids need to see you as a PERSON and not just their parent

9. Some tough love and wisdom from Anne to Becky (and you) for this season

   Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

   
   

   Connect with Anne:

   ⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

   Instagram

   
   

   Connect with Becky:

   Website⁠

   ⁠Her books⁠

   The Inspired Business podcast

   
   

Today is the episode about finances. Oooohhh, yes. We are going there. How to think about spending money on yourself. It goes much deeper than buying new things but uprooting thoughts about not being worthy of being invested in.

We talk today:

1. How we turn around and take money and time that was once spent on our kids and now being okay with spending it on ourselves

2. Something Anne looks back on, wishing she and her hubby had done on top of date nights when the kids were growing up

3. The benefits of NOT bringing the kids along on vacay

4. Lies that sometimes make moms think it’s not okay to spend money on themselves and their dreams

5. Big and small fun ideas of what to do with that extra cash

6. Things to expect to happen once you start to invest in yo self

7. The messy process of getting to know you again

8. An unexpected gift you can give your children

Get in Touch With us!⁠

Connect with Anne:

⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

Instagram

Connect with Becky:

Website⁠

⁠Her books⁠

The Inspired Business podcast

Though we really wanna, it’s not helpful to our children when we try to rescue them all the time. So much learning comes from them taking responsibility for the consequences of their choices. So much growing into the person they need to be, who are okay and successful without us.

Today we chat about:

1. A funny story where Anne admits she was wrong in advice she gave to her adult kid (all our cat lover friends will love this one!)

2. How it looks to actually let your kids make mistakes (and why this is so darn hard to do!)

3. What “taking off the hero cape” is and what it does to your kids when you don’t

4. Different ways to help your kids that don’t involve removing the challenge for them

5. The difference between Equipping vs Rescuing

6. The long term impact of always swooping in to save your kids 

7. A caution for all those generous mamas out their who have a love language of giving gifts

8. How guidance looks different as your children get older

⁠Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

Connect with Anne:

Website

⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

Instagram

Connect with Becky:

Website⁠

⁠Her books⁠

The Inspired Business podcast

Today we have our first guest episode … wooo who! Author Kate Battistelli (yes, Francesca’s mom!) joins us to talk about her book The After Party of the Empty Nest. As her website says, “As you begin your empty nest, you’re not only leaving your child behind, but the life you knew so well.” And that our friends, is why this season is so darn hard at times. It makes sense why we feel like a fish out of water! It’s braaaannndd new territory. 

You’ll hear in this episode:

1. Why being mom is not your only name

2. Figuring out what else God has for you

3. Why it’s okay to grieve in this season

4. Three different types of mama birds and how they embrace the empty nest differently

5. How God may dare you to do new things

6. The bonuses of the empty nest

7. The power of volunteering when finding new purpose

   
   

Connect with Kate:

Website

Book

Podcast

⁠Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

Connect with Anne:

Website

⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

Instagram

Connect with Becky:

Website⁠

⁠Her books⁠

The Inspired Business podcast

It’s that time of year where some are a little antsy for summer to come and school to be over. But that’s not the case for everyone in the family: mom can be dreading the buffer summer between college days beginning. 

Check out today’s conversation to hear how our thoughts on the “time bomb ticking” of things never being the same again.

We chat today:

1. The desire to smother your kid as the end of their high school career looms 

2. What to expect in the last summer before post secondary begins 

3. How to make the most of that last summer together and set boundaries on time

4. Why eye rolls aren’t the worst thing when you share your heart with your kid

5. The limbo/not in control season your child feels they are in during this weird in between season

6. Possible behaviors to expect in your child in the buffer summer

   ⁠Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

   Declare Conference info

   Connect with Anne:

   Website

   ⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

   Instagram

   
   

   Connect with Becky:

   Website⁠

   ⁠Her books⁠

   The Inspired Business podcast

   
   

New decade, new milestone. It comes with birthday cake and parties but also sometimes comes with imposter syndrome. “Am I too old to be relevant in my industry?!” What happens when you don’t feel like the “cool old woman” anymore but just the “old looking woman?”

Today we chat about:

1. Struggling with aging and looking older

2. Things we personally invest in to feel more confident in our appearance

3. Having fun with your appearance as you transition into older years

4. Why it’s not wrong to fight against aging

5. The blessing of GETTING to age

6. The good parts of getting older

7. Healthy motivations for taking care of yourself with proactive habits to age well

8. Why not loving aging goes deeper than vanity

9. How God has wired woman to desire beauty

10. Aging with grace and style

⁠Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

Connect with Anne:

Website

⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

Instagram

Connect with Becky:

Website⁠

⁠Her books⁠

The Inspired Business podcast

We hear alllll the time about the importance of dating your spouse but dating your kids is actually just as key! If you desire to foster a relationship with your kids so that when they are grown they still willingly seek you out for comfort and advice, this episode is for you, friend.

Tune in to hear about:

1. What it looks like to date your kids

2. Two environments that often make kids open up for heart to hearts

3. The power of asking questions when communicating with your kids

4. Advice for connecting 1:1 with each child when you have multiple children

5. Why bonding is not always having to do with deep talks but also fun times

6. A unique way to connect with your kids instead of a sweet 16 party

7. The beauty of reminding your kids you are proud of them 

8. Why it’s okay for your kids to see imperfect you

⁠Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

Connect with Anne:

Website

⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

Instagram

Connect with Becky:

Website⁠

⁠Her books⁠

The Inspired Business podcast

Today Anne is getting vulnerable about the confusing season of life she is currently in. We pray this conversation helps you feel not alone in being unsure what’s next and that you know there is no shame in wrestling with this!

We chat today:

1. About Becky’s book on purpose and her wisdom on how to help people find their purpose

2. The tension of having hope and despair side by side

3. Figuring out if God is leading you to do something or not

4. The beauty of waiting upon God to show you what to do and finding your identity and worth in being His kid

5. How no sin or shame comes from God in His directing

6. Helpful prayers and questions for identifying what to do next

7. The excitement of being asked to do things utilizing new skills you didn’t know you had

⁠Get in Touch With us!⁠⁠

Connect with Anne:

Website

⁠Swayology Business podcast⁠

Instagram

Connect with Becky:

Website⁠

⁠Her books⁠

The Inspired Business podcast