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Tuesday - March 19, 2024
 

Great News: It’s Possible to Successfully Downsize Your Life And Benefit Financially, While Simultaneously Launching a Great, New Lifestyle

January 17th, 2023

By Anne L. Holmes, NABBW’s Boomer in Chief Periodically, as we Boomers age through the various stages of our lives, there come times when we face a major crossroad and we have to make huge, life-altering decisions. These days, instead of those decisions being related to school, work, marriage or the birth of our children or grandchildren, many of our crossroads  experiences begin with the letter “D.” As in “Disease,” “Divorce,” “Death” — and that other one, much less less serious, but still daunting — “Downsizing.” Today,... Read More

As You Celebrate the Special Life Events the Spring and Summer Bring, Remember: Someone Believes in You

May 14th, 2015

By Natalie Caine, MA, for the NABBW Think about all those special life milestones and events: Wedding, Graduation, New job, New parenting, A new grandchild, A relocation, Even a new day — All these are happy changes. And behind your smiles and raised glasses, there are people standing up for you. Supporting you. They believe in you. They give to you because they want you to understand that you matter. They want you to have bricks under your feet. They want you to feel hugged. We forget to visit happy memories as moon light to help you stand, over and over when you collapse, and when... Read More

Parents Need to Recognize Their Goals for Collegiate Spring Break May Not Match Their Student’s Desires

March 17th, 2015

By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Associate for Life in Transition Whether you are a first time parent of a college student or an experienced one, as Spring Break arrives, it’s likely you are planning their favorite meals and watching the clock, hoping their plane or car arrives on time. You’re anxious to have your family finally be “all together again.” And you can’t wait to finally see their faces! Meanwhile, your favorite college student likely has a totally different set of goals. I remember a group of college kids shared with me that they have been so stressed... Read More

In Honor of Mother\’s Day: What\’s the Best Advice Your Mother Ever Gave You?

May 9th, 2014

In Honor of Mother\’s Day: What\’s the Best Advice Your Mother Ever Gave You? By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Associate for Life in Transition Do you wonder what your kids would say to that question? It might be fun to ask them on Mother\’s Day. Here is a short list of what advice was given to women, by their mothers, from my circle: Help others even if you feel shy. Go for it because the clock is ticking. Hold your own hand. You don\’t have to see it. Pray anyhow. Open the door for others. Try again and again. Save money as soon as you make some. Nothing lasts forever,... Read More

Staying Inspired During Life\’s Challenges

March 18th, 2014

Staying Inspired During Life\’s Challenges By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Associate for Life in Transition How do you keep going when you  feel like you are immersed in challenges? Here are some suggestions: Call someone you trust. Ask them if you can POUR your heart out. Consider what you think a dear friend would do if her or she were in your shoes? Exercise. Get outside and walk noticing what is in FRONT of you as you walk. Trust that, “This too shall pass.” Give yourself the gift of a few simple PLEASURES, like movie day, a day at home or ordering in food. DOODLE Read... Read More

Give Yourself Permission to Play This Summer

July 22nd, 2013

Give Yourself Permission to Play This Summer By Natalie Caine M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert   Whether solo or with a friend, summer invites you to get out and see what you haven\’t had the chance to explore.   Our groups, which sometimes meet on the telephone, all agreed, that two days of getting out of town, lifted their spirits while in a transition.   They laughed at how some decisions –  like getting out of town – are easy yet others feel spin them into exhaustion. Here is a short list of what they have been doing: Visiting local gardens Kayaking  Enjoying... Read More

100 Cameras, My Story

March 6th, 2013

By Natalie Caine M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert   When my daughter went 3,000 miles to college, I felt a spread of feelings.  Happy for her, excited that I, her mother was a part of her journey up to this door and empty from a role I loved and knew was shifting. I had a career, husband, friends, family, and lovely home.  I tell you that because I wasn’t void of a good life.  I was void of being with my daughter.  The daily, ordinary days of parenting and challenging hours of differences came to a sudden stop. No longer did I start my day attending to her needs and schedule.  What... Read More

Thanksgiving

November 19th, 2012

Thanksgiving By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you. Elbert Hubbard Memories rise up. People we have spent time with and those we no longer can see, come visiting in our minds and hearts. Memories are a good thing. We fear the tears, the loneliness, and we long for connections. What I appreciate about the human spirit is we get to begin, again. We get to be brave and make up new traditions, break some rules, and allow who we are today to simply be happy. Some people have communities and others don\’t.... Read More

Change It Up

October 24th, 2012

Change It Up By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert When I was in Boston last week, I tried something new. While walking, and this sounds silly I know, I would stop and look up. People in windows, staircases, cranes, flashing tall lights, birds and squirrels, shoes, the moon, stars, planes, lanterns, animals in the clouds. When I have the fun of taking photos, I photograph a different perspective rather than only what is right in front of me with the object. In my morning support group of transitions, we made a list of what we are going to do differently this week: 1. Not start... Read More

Why Don\’t More Parents Talk About Empty Nest?

September 21st, 2012

Why Don\’t More Parents Talk About Empty Nest? By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert This weekend kids are packing up and heading to college. Parents are shocked at the gut pain they are feeling, hugging goodbye. The “ugly cry” visits them at unpredictable times, like while marketing. Goodbye drops them into the reality that their parenting role will never be as it was before. They are kicked out of the kingdom with an unfamiliar role as parents. Parents are in the background, not leading, not seeing day to day, and not hearing the stories after school. It is... Read More