Shows
The Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest27. More Money For Yo Self Once They Fly the CoopToday 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:How we turn around and take money and time that was once spent on our kids and now being okay with spending it on ourselvesSomething Anne looks back on, wishing she and her hubby had done on top of date nights when the kids were growing up2025-05-2732 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest26. The Danger of Trying to Rescue Your Kids from ChallengesThough 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: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!)How it looks to actually let yo...2025-05-1329 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest25. The After Party of the Empty Nest with Kate BattistelliToday 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:Why being mom i...2025-04-2928 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest24. Advice for The Summer In Between Everything ChangingIt’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:The desire to smother your kid as the end of their high school career looms What to expect in th...2025-04-1530 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest23. Turning 50 and Crying About AgingNew 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:Struggling with aging and looking olderThings we personally invest in to feel more confident in our appearanceHaving fun with your appearance as you transition into older yearsWhy it’s not wrong to fig...2025-04-0130 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest22. Date Your Kids = Having Adult Kids Who Still Come to You for AdviceWe 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:What it looks like to date your kidsTwo environments that often make kids open up for heart to heartsThe power of asking questions when communicating...2025-03-1827 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest21. When You Don’t Know What to Do Next in LifeToday 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: About Becky’s book on purpose and her wisdom on how to help people find their purpose The tension of having hope and despair side by side Figuring out if God is leading you to do something or not The beauty of w...2025-03-0427 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest20. Getting Back to YOUWe chat on this podcast about guiding our kids through transition seasons but it’s not all about your kids. And we sometimes lose sight of that, with all the daily responsibilities that come with parenting. But once your kids are launched, there are some big questions to answer like: who am I outside of being their mom?We talk today:How to shift your callingMourning the loss of being a mom as part of your identity Why it’s healthy to invest in yourself for the sake...2025-02-1829 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest19. But Do They Know They Are Loved? (and why being a perfect parent doesn’t need to be the goal)As mothers of teens and adult children, we are realizing we have less and less control over our kids' lives. And maybe instead of striving to be a perfect parent, a change in goal would be wise.We chat today about:How God is the only perfect parentAdvice for stressful seasons with your high schoolersA powerful quote Anne’s mom used to say about parenting Cranky moms and how to deal!The power of asking your children to give you extra grace on...2025-02-0426 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest18. How to Know What is a Big Deal for Your Senior Kid (and what balls can actually be dropped and it will.be.okay)Some things don’t actually matter in the long run. What happens to our kids in these formidable years ARE important … but not everything is going to mark their lives forever. Today we are talking about how to balance helping your kids thrive but not stressing them out with extreme pressure to succeed in senior year in all the categories.We dive into today:How culture normalizes moms stressing out their kidsThe role comparison between moms leads to how we treat our childrenAnne’s hindsight of what she would do dif...2025-01-2127 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest17. Practical Skills to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Be Successful Humans Once they Leave HomeDo your kids know how to write a cheque? Boil water for pasta? Balance a budget? Sometimes we get so focused on teaching our kids these heart concepts, like God LOVES YOU UNCONDITIONALLY! Yet, we forget to teach them how to do their laundry or fix a tire. Today we are chatting about: The value of teaching your children to write thank you notesSkills we were brought up knowing that kids these days lackWhy Anne told her kids they didn’t have to work...2025-01-0732 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest15. Hobbies SchmobbiesSuddenly with the kids gone you have more downtime. Today we are chatting about how to fill your time, in ways that fill you up personally, but also eases the bittersweetness of having an empty home. We chat about:A funny way that Anne has become her mother (ahem, a hobby Anne found out she loved that her own mother loved)Ideas of creative hobbies to try to make your free time enjoyable and meaningful The importance of having interests of you own (besides work or your kids)Our ex...2025-01-0131 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest16. Expectations of an Empty Nest VS RealityConfession: It’s HARD when the kids are GONE. Like really gone. You know, when they are fully moved out and won’t be bouncing back for summer break from college anymore since they now have a place of their own. Today we are chatting about how our expectations don’t always match lived out experiences for Empty Nesting. And how the grief of your kids leaving can appear in surprising ways and how each kid leaving will hit a bit different. Check out today’s episode to hear:Will your house be cleane...2024-12-2431 min
The Inspired Business Podcast57 | What Should You Do With a Dream?What if that dream you've been holding onto isn't just meant to stay a dream? That whisper in your heart, that idea you can't shake—it's there for a reason. Today I'm sharing why God gives us dreams and what happens when we finally decide to plant them instead of just pondering the possibilities. If you've been wondering whether it's time to take that next step of faith, this episode is for you.Highlights:Why seeds were meant for planting, not just possessingThe three key steps to nurturing your dream: preparing the soil, planting th...2024-12-0210 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest14. Things to NOT do Once Your Kid Moves Out for CollegeShould you hold off on turning their room into a crafting room? Is it okay to move from their childhood home? Track their location yes or no? So many questions, so many opinions. Today we are discussing an article we found, sharing if we agree or disagree about things the article suggests we reframe from doing when your child goes off to college. Today we chat about:7 things we have heard you should not do when your kids leave for collegeHow Anne did not follow the article’s suggestions and...2024-11-2640 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest13. College Tours & Mommy SpiralsAre you in the thick of touring colleges with your senior kid? Is it causing mega stress or excitement for you and them? It’s a big choice, looking forward towards the future and figuring out where they want to land for the next 4+ years. Or deciding if they even want to go to college.Tune in today to hear:The wisdom of dividing and conquering the activities between mom and dad for that senior yearThe importance of your kids noticing how they feel when they are walking the ca...2024-11-1233 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest12. What’s a Mama to do in Senior Year to Cherish it?It’s exciting to see your kids so near walking across that stage to get their well-earned high school diploma … but it’s also very hard on a mother’s heart. All these milestones and “lasts” can be bittersweet. Today we are chatting about how to enjoy the process and make the most of senior year. We chat today about:Why moms are allowed to feel differently and act differently than dads in senior yearIs there a way to celebrate the “lasts” without it becoming a big cry fest?The reasons...2024-10-2931 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest11. How to Treat Your Adult Kids When They Come Home to VisitIt can be tricky to learn new dynamics when your kid leaves then returns. Do you still give them a curfew when they come home for a long weekend? Should you ask them to do chores? What are you actually supposed to do and not do when they come back to visit after moving out? Answer: it’s a bizarre adjustment, for sure!We chat about today:Give yourself grace, it’s a bit of a whiplash to learn how to live again with them in your space. Finding your new normal can...2024-10-1525 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest10. Redefining Your Role & Finding Purpose Beyond Raising Your KidsActively raising children is a BIG job. And once they are no longer living under your roof, it takes some intentional thought to redefine your new role in their life and learn to restructure your days and life now that your kids are out of the house. But finding meaning and purpose beyond being a caregiver is very much so possible and we pray this episode inspires you to see all the amazing possibilities! Today we share about:The choice to look at change as a possibility and “what do...2024-10-0132 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest9. To the Worried Mama with a Senior StudentWe have heard from listeners that sometimes rather than grief, it’s a worry that mother’s deal deeply with when the empty nesting season looms. How will my kids do once they leave? Will they be okay growing into adulthood? If that resonates with the narrative in your own head, please take a listen to this episode. We pray it brings you encouragement and a little laughter, too!What goes through a mom’s mind when senior pictures are takenFeedback from our hubby’s about the show!The joy and...2024-09-1742 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest8. Freaking MenopauseYup, we are going there today. Girlfriends, we are digging into the ins and outs of menopause. If you don’t have someone in your life to chat about the “ugly” stuff, we would gladly be that friend for you. We hope this episode leaves you feeling a little more prepared about women’s health!In today’s episode:How the timing of menopause and your kids leaving home can often happen at the same time, making things feel even harderWhy we should be talking about our changing brains and bodies...2024-09-0330 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest7. Dealing with Other People's OpinionsMommy Wars … it’s a real thing. And it doesn’t stop once your kids fly the coop. People will continue to give you opinions on how you think you should parent your adult children too.On this episode we dig into:How to handle the judgy people in our lives who give their unsolicited thought about how we parentWhat grocery store item can cause the downward spiral of self criticism as a woman and as a momBecky’s crazy story of dealing with Momm...2024-08-2036 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest1. Our Heart Behind a Girlfriend’s Guide to an Empty NestWelcome to our very first episode! We pray your time with us (Hi! It’s Anne & Becky!) is filled with laughter, encouragement and so much inspiration. When we discovered people just weren’t talking about the grief and challenges of having your kids leave your home, we decided to become that much needed resource ourselves. In this premiere episode we share about:Why it’s healthy and important to let yourself grieve your kids leavingThe things Anne really enjoys about having adult kids outside of her h...2024-08-0628 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest2. The Journey to the Empty NestToday we are comparing our current journeys with empty nesting. One of us sees the empty nest through the windshield, the other one can see it in the rearview mirror. Thanks for hanging out with us today, it’s an honor to share with you our different experiences, and we pray you leave encouraged about this topic that is close to both our hearts. You’ll hear us share today:Our thoughts on being friends with your kidsHow men and women are different when it comes to all t...2024-08-0632 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest3. Good Grief, GodJoin us for a conversation about grief. We won’t be shaming you ONE bit for feeling all the feels. Nope, over here, we believe that grief comes from the ending of something beautiful which is worth celebrating! Today we discuss:The challenges and frustrations of grieving differently than those around youWhat you should NEVER tell someone in the midst of grievingThe illogical side of griefThe dangers of shutting down the process of grievingThe hard part of being goo...2024-08-0627 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest4. Where to Put Your Mom Energy NowAny dog mamas out there? As mothers, we need to channel that mom energy to something. We were made to nurture! When there is no one at home to parent anymore, sometimes a pet is just what you need.In this episode we are chatting about:How we are made for relationships and how dogs (or any pet) fits into that needWays to build into relationships once your kids are out of the houseThe unexpected ways to channel your mom energy (besides on...2024-08-0629 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest5. Senioritis (for kids and moms)All the “lasts” can add up in that final year of having a child living under your roof. Counting down a whole season of “lasts” can be HARD. Today we are sharing how we can best set ourselves up to enjoy this last year.You’ll hear in this episode:What Senioritis is (and how it shows up in our kid’s attitudes and ours) The power of just letting yourself be sad about all the “lasts”A preview of your senior year with your kids can be found...2024-08-0628 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest6. Oh Yeah, You're Married. What Now?We are talking about our marriages with some REAL TALK today. Sometimes we wish our husbands didn’t live with us AND we love ‘em so much. God has created us to feel more than one thing at once, what a gift!Today we are chatting about: How husbands and wives handle kids leaving differently and how to cope with this differenceWays to reconnect with your spouseThings to chat about when the kids are no longer the main thing your conversations surround Digg...2024-08-0629 minThe Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty NestWelcome to The Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest Podcast!Hey! We are Anne & Becky! Here we discuss the challenges and joys of the empty nest phase, sharing personal experiences and advice. You aren't alone if emptying nesting feels HARD!
We cover topics such as the grieving process, reconnecting with spouses, rediscovering purpose, and the transition from parent to friend. We share the importance of faith and humor in navigating this season of life.
We pray these episodes bless and prepare you for emptying nesting... and make you giggle!
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2024-07-3012 min
Swayology9. Why Viewing Your Business as a Hobby Isn't Helpful For Growth with Guest Becky KopitzkeMEET BECKY KOPITZKE:
Becky Kopitzke is a multi-published author and founder of The Inspired Business, a coaching hub dedicated to helping faith-filled writers, communicators and creatives monetize their passion work in order to keep it sustainable. A veteran blogger, freelance writer and writing coach, Becky’s sweet spot is in digital product sales funnels, an ideal method for growing and serving an engaged audience.
Becky and her husband Chad live the crazy blessed life from home offices in northeast Wisconsin, where they share precious space with their two daughters, tables stacked with homework, and two de...2023-02-2839 min