Latest news with #emptyNester
Yahoo
14-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Case for a Career Pivot After the Kids Move Out
With retirement becoming increasingly out of reach for many, some people are instead opting for a midlife career pivot after their kids leave home. In fact, in a 2025 AARP survey of people aged 50 and older, 24% of respondents said that they were planning on making a job change within the next year. Of those preparing to pivot, 40% said they are planning to get a new job, while 16% said they plan to start their own business. When you think about it, you're already going through a transition when your kids move out; it can also be the ideal time to rethink your career. Here's what to consider before starting your second act. More from Flow Space Empty Nest Stress? How Can Being an Empty Nester Open the Door to Professional Changes? For many, the empty nest phase is the first time in years people are not tethered to the day-to-day logistics of raising children, says Dr. Mary Barnes, a career strategist with over two decades of experience in organizational development and executive coaching. 'This often brings an unexpected wave of mental space and personal reflection,' she explains. 'Without the constant backdrop of caretaking, many find themselves asking: 'What do I want now?' That question alone can open the door to reinvention.' Along the same lines, a midlife career pivot can also give you the emotional and logistical space to figure out who you really are outside of clock-punching and being a parent, says Patrice Williams-Lindo, an expert in professional development and organizational growth, and CEO of Career Nomad. 'When the kids leave, the excuses often leave with them,' she explains. 'Many finally have the time, clarity and financial stability to make moves they've been sitting on for years.' How Do Empty Nesters Know When It's Time for a Career Switch? Sometimes you just know it's time for a change. 'If you feel invisible at work, burned out or bored—and you can't unsee it—that's your sign,' Williams-Lindo says. 'Also, if you're watching colleagues pivot and feel a mix of envy and excitement, it's time to take yourself seriously.' Often, it shows up as restlessness. 'I hear clients say things like, 'I've outgrown this role,' or 'I want more purpose now,'' Barnes says. 'When the day-to-day starts to feel like just going through the motions, it's a strong signal that something needs to shift—whether it's the work itself, the environment or how the work fits into their life.' Other times, financial reasons are behind a midlife career change. After being a stay-at-home mom for 23 years, Dawn LaFontaine, 60, became an empty nester in the fall of 2016, when her second child left for college. Around the same time, her husband lost the job that he'd held for 15 years. 'Even though I hadn't held a traditional job for 23 years, I immediately began applying so that we'd have some income coming in while he looked for a new position,' she says. Though she didn't get any of the jobs she'd applied for, the experience made her realize that if she was going to have a working future, she'd have to create one for herself. That's when she started Cat in the Box, an e-commerce pet products business. LaFontaine's only regret is not starting her new career sooner. 'The difference between this kind of work and traditional employment is that it's all down to me: I make or break the business,' she says. 'On the one hand, there's no one else around who knows how to do this better than I do, and on the other, I don't have to do things the way my boss wants me to do it, even if I disagree.' What Should Empty Nesters Look for in a New Career? When it comes to looking for a new career, Barnes says that alignment is everything. 'People often seek something that aligns with their values, offers flexibility and feels meaningful,' she explains. 'They also want work that energizes rather than drains them—especially since many plan to work another 15 to 20 years, but differently than they did in their 30s and 40s.' In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that 25% of the workforce will be aged 55 or older by 2031. Not only that, but over the next 10 years, workers aged 75 and older will be the only age group estimated to increase in size in the U.S. workforce, AARP reports. So, what else should you look for in your new career? Williams-Lindo recommends searching for roles with the following: Work that respects your lived experience Flexibility for your health, aging parents and travel goals Income aligned with your next chapter, not your last chapter A culture that doesn't treat you like you're 'done' A place where your voice still matters For Missy Toy Ozeas, 57, it was a matter of flexibility and pivoting to a career where her voice mattered. When her younger son left for college in 2019, she decided to walk away from a 28-year-long career as a camera assistant in TV and film, full of long shoot days, heavy gear and very little freedom. The turning point was when her producer offered her a promotion. 'My mouth started to say 'yes,' but my whole body said 'no,' and an inner voice popped in [saying] 'You are a healer,'' she recalls. 'I wanted deeper purpose, more flexibility and work that lit me up—so I listened.' Now, Ozeas is an energy healer. She earns nearly triple her former income, works from home and chooses clients who feel aligned. 'I have zero regrets—except wishing I'd leapt sooner,' she says. 'Your sweet spot sits where 'what's effortless for you' overlaps with 'what brings you joy.' Once the kids launch, you finally have the space—and the wisdom—to claim it.' Are There Careers Especially Suited for Empty Nesters? Rather than focusing on job titles, Barnes encourages people to focus on purpose-driven roles—traditional or entrepreneurial—where they can use their expertise and life experience to contribute to something they believe in. 'That's why you see former corporate executives quitting their jobs to open an animal rescue, start a community nonprofit or move to a farm to make goat milk soap,' she says. 'The specifics vary, but the common thread is a desire to work toward a mission that aligns with their values and genuinely fills their cup.' Along the same lines, Williams-Lindo says that careers like consulting, fractional leadership, project management, executive coaching, nonprofit leadership, learning and development roles and creative freelance work all leverage decades of wisdom while allowing freedom. 'You don't have to shrink to fit a job description at this stage,' she notes. Ultimately, it's about finding a job that fulfils you and gives you purpose—while allowing you to pay the bills. 'Midlife isn't too late to pivot. It's when you finally stop asking for permission,' Williams-Lindo says. 'You've got receipts, you've got clarity and you're done tolerating nonsense. That's the perfect launchpad for building a career that actually feels like yours.'
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Michelle Obama continues to fuel divorce rumors with comment about feeling 'free' from Barack
Michelle Obama made a frank admission about life at home with husband Barack Obama after spending months dodging divorce rumors. The former first lady, 61, shared the insight about being an empty nester with a husband who is no longer serving as the President of the United States on Wednesday's episode of her podcast, IMO, which she hosts with older brother Craig Robinson. 'I mean at this stage in life for me, personally, is the first time I've been completely free,' the mother-of-two told guest Julia Louis-Dreyfus. 'There's been a release where every choice I make is not about my husband, not about his career, not about my family, not about what my kids need or where they're going, it's totally about me,' she admitted, quipping: 'This is when we start living ladies.' Michelle and Barack share daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 24. The Obamas have been married for almost 33 years but have faced ongoing rumors about their marriage status over the last few months. The rumor mill swirled after her decision to skip both Jimmy Carter's funeral and President Donald Trump's inauguration - with Michelle insisting they were decisions she made for herself. Her absence at the high-profile political events stoked divorce rumors, as did President Obama's admission in April that he was in a 'deep deficit' with his wife. But in May, the former first lady attempted to set the record straight during a podcast with entrepreneur and investor Steven Bartlett. 'If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it,' she said, laughing. The host mentioned how the media had speculated about pair's future after she skipped out on the public appearances. Steven said her absence left some believing 'there's an issue with you and Barack, there's a divorce coming.' 'Let me tell you, he would know it,' Michelle said, directing a finger at her brother, Craig Robinson. 'And everybody would know it.' She added that she is 'not a martyr' and joked about how she would address such marital strife publicly. Michelle acknowledged that marriage is 'hard' for her and the former president but added that 'I wouldn't trade it,' calling President Obama, 'as the young people say... my person.' 'The beauty of my husband and our partnership is that neither one of us was ever really, ever going to quit at it, because that's not who we are. And I know that about him. He knows that about me.' She said that young people give up on marriage too soon, in part because they see a false image of a perfect union between herself and her husband. 'I talk about these things because I think that people give up too quickly on marriage,' the Becoming author said. 'Because there is so much friction built into the equation. And if you're not getting help, talking about it, going to therapy, just understanding how things are changing, and how do you continuously renegotiate your relationship with your partner, I just see people quitting,' she said. 'Because they look at me and Barack and go, "#couple goals." And I'm like, it's hard,' Michelle added. Michelle also spoke about a tough parenting conversation the couple had after they moved into the White House on Wednesday. She explained that she told her husband he had to get their daughters' school used to the President of the United States being at events - and that she wanted him to still be as engaged with this daughters' lives as he was before he took office. 'It was like, "no, you got to go to parent-teacher conference" - and he wanted to go,' Michelle told Julia and Craig. She stated that even if he was not necessarily required to go, she still expected him there. 'You have to get the school normalized to you being the type of engaged parent that you were before election night,' she recalled telling Barack. 'And you were the father that went to parent teacher conference, you were the father that would coach your girls' basketball game league,' she recounted.
Wall Street Journal
16-06-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
A $450,000 Kitchen Renovation Marked a New Beginning for Chicago Empty-Nesters
Ask any empty-nester how it felt to watch their children fly the coop, and chances are they'll call it a bittersweet experience. But for one 50-something Chicago couple—a businessman and an artist—the bitter quickly gave way to the sweet. 'It was our chance to break free and embrace a daring new era,' says the wife. For them, it was an opportunity to rediscover their chic side, seek new adventures, and, best of all, trade their suburban home for a sky-high contemporary penthouse, which they did in 2022 for $2.85 million. They enlisted interior designer Donna Mondi, founder of her eponymous Chicago studio. 'They had one requirement: ditch the standard-issue builder finishes and dial up the drama,' Mondi says. 'Their goal was to conjure a bold, head-turning vibe straight out of 'Selling Sunset'—luxurious, provocative and unapologetically fabulous.'
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What's going on with the Obamas? Michelle admits she's in therapy
The Obamas and the state of their marriage have been hot on the political gossip scene for months, with rumours of separation and even (false) whispers that Barack was having an affair with Friends star Jennifer Anniston. Being such colossal figures in the world, former President Barack Obama and his First Lady Michelle Obama are always going to have the gaze of the world upon them. Now, Michelle has revealed that she is receiving therapy - but why? In an effort to cope with becoming an 'empty nester', Michelle disclosed that she is receiving therapy. The former first lady claimed that she was getting ready for the "next phase" of her life, which included working on overcoming guilt. The mother-of-two told Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast in a recent appearance: 'At this phase of my life, I'm in therapy right now because I'm transitioning, you know? 'I've finished a really hard thing in my life with my family intact, I'm an empty nester, my girls are in – you know, they've been launched.' Her two children, Malia, who graduated from Harvard in 2021 and Sasha, who graduated from the University of Southern California in 2023 are 26 and 23, respectively. But this isn't the first time the duo have been - unfairly - scruitinised for their happiness, after months of speculation about their marriage. Speaking to actor Sophia Bush on her podcast, The Conversation Continues, Obama said that people 'couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself', leading them to jump to conclusions about her relationship. 'They had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,' she said. What were the rumours and was there any truth to them? Despite ups and downs over the years, the Obamas have nearly always presented as a united front. Therefore, the fact that Barack Obama attended major state events by himself in January sparked questions and unearthed some outlandish stories from the gutters of tabloid gossip, including the bizarre theory that the former president was linked with Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston. Rumours began to circulate that Barack and Michelle Obama were drifting apart after Mr Obama attended former president Jimmy Carter's state funeral without his wife on January 9. All five living presidents and their partners were there, except Michelle, whose advisers told CNN that she had a scheduling conflict and was in Hawaii on an extended holiday. Days later, the Obamas' office released a statement saying that Michelle would be absent from another major political event: Donald Trump's inauguration. They did not provide a reason. "Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration," the statement read. This marks a break from tradition, although Donald and Melania Trump did not attend Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021. The explanation for this could be as simple as the fact that Michelle Obama has long expressed her distaste for President Trump. At a campaign rally for Kamala Harris back in November, she described Trump as 'a convicted felon, a known slumlord' and a 'predator found liable for sexual abuse'. She did attend his first inauguration back in 2020 but said on her podcast in 2023 how unpleasant it had been 'to sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display — there was no diversity, there was no colour on that stage, there was no reflection of the broader sense of America'. Obama also said she 'cried for 30 minutes straight' after the inauguration. Yet journalists and pundits mused over whether her absence is a sign of internal fissures. Some said they had been hearing whispers for months, including blogger Meghan McCain and Tara Palmeri, Puck News's senior political correspondent. Discussing the story on a podcast together, McCain said that she had been hearing the rumour from 'very serious journalists'. Palmeri agreed: 'I just heard that they live separate lives.' Incidentally, Meghan McCain is the daughter of Republican senator John McCain, who Obama defeated in the 2008 presidential election. She was not willing to name any of the 'reputable people' she had heard the rumours from. As if to set the record straight, Barack Obama shared a heartfelt post to Instagram on Michelle's birthday on January 17. 'Happy birthday to the love of my life,' the caption read. 'You fill every room with warmth, wisdom, humor, and grace – and you look good doing it. I'm so lucky to be able to take on life's adventures with you. Love you!' Yet sceptics like Meghan McCain were unconvinced. 'I would kill Ben if he put a picture of me looking like no makeup with that lighting on social media,' McCain said, referring to her husband, Ben Domenech. 'I would kill him. So for me it didn't help the rumours, and like why are you putting this like s***ty picture of your wife up?' So, the evidence for a marriage on the rocks went something like this: Michelle Obama skips inauguration of man she detests and husband uploads purportedly unflattering picture of her for birthday. Hardly a smoking gun. Just in case that wasn't enough, a crackpot cover story from In Touch magazine came back in the headlines, which claimed to know 'The truth about Jen & Barack'. That is, Jennifer Aniston of Friends fame. 'They're obsessed with each other!' claimed one highly reputably anonymous source from 'power circles in Washington and Hollywood'. Aniston addressed the story back in October during an appearance on chat show host Jimmy Kimmel's show. 'Of all the calls you get from your publicist where you're just like 'Oh, no, what's it gonna be?' or you get an email saying some cheesy tabloid is gonna make up a story — and then it's that…I was not mad at it!' she laughed, before clarifying that the story is 'absolutely untrue' and she has only met Obama once. Aside from heard-it-through-the-grapevine chitter chatter, there was little to suggest that the couple were on the rocks. The rumours turned out to be just that. 'We as women, I think we struggle with disappointing people,' said Michelle Obama on The Conversation Continues. She explained that people were unable to see her decision not to attend Carter's funeral and Trump's inauguration as 'a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself,' instead feeding off hearsay. 'That's what society does to us,' she said.
Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Joanna Lumley's stiff upper lip is the perfect antidote to celebrity oversharing
My oldest child started her GCSEs this week, so like any parent of teenagers, I can hear the distant pitter-patter of feet, about to empty the nest. When you've got babies and toddlers, you long for the freedom of late nights, lie-ins and even unaccompanied toilet breaks. Then the children start walking and talking and becoming such good company that you feel lost without them. But while I dread the idea of my three leaving home, I don't think I would seek counselling to cope with it. The same cannot be said for Michelle Obama, who this week admitted that she is in therapy as she adjusts to life as an 'empty nester' outside of the White House. The former First Lady told life coach Jay Shetty's podcast: 'I'm getting that tune-up for this next phase, because I believe this is a whole 'nother phase in life for me… 'I now don't have the excuse of, 'Well, my kids need this, or my husband needs that, or the country needs that.'' While I appreciate your country no longer needing you might be cause to seek help, why on earth does someone like Mrs Obama need to pay for therapy when she seems to spend so much time talking about herself? Like Harry and Meghan, she falls firmly into the celebrity oversharer category. Just when you feel you've heard enough from her, she goes and records another interview. Aren't their whole lives just one long public therapy session? Especially the Sussexes, who appear physically incapable of speaking about anything other than themselves. I much prefer the subtlety of Dame Joanna Lumley who went viral after telling The Telegraph's Mick Brown: 'I think there's too much self-exploration. I think we're all as dull as ditchwater.' Asked if she had 'ever been one for self-reflection or introspection', the Absolutely Fabulous star replied: 'I can't see the point. Also, I'm as shallow as a puddle.'
