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October 8, 2025 37 mins
Kelly Salmons is a #1 best-selling author, speaker, and coach of empty-nesters. She is a visionary entrepreneur, educator, and former Naval Officer who now dedicates her life to helping women thrive in their next chapter through The Nest Evolution.After decades of leadership in the military, education, and wellness sectors, Kelly discovered that the transition into the empty nest wasn’t an ending—but a powerful beginning.Today, she helps women reclaim their identity, embrace their purpose, and designmeaningful lives beyond motherhood. Her diverse background includes serving as Dean ofAcademics at a K–8 charter school, launching global STEAM education initiatives, and owning a fitness center that empowered hundreds of women. With a B.S. in Oceanography from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master’s in Educationwith a STEM emphasis, Kelly blends strategy and soul in everything she does. She lives in Naples, Florida, with her husband David, two soaring daughters, and two lovable dogs. Kelly believes midlife isn’t a crisis—it’s a calling.
http://thenestevolution.com/
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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Forty of women who have raised children and suddenly they
move out to college or their own marriage, whatever. Report
identity confusion. I believe it. I've seen it actually happen.
Sixty seven percent is the big one I've seen has

(00:27):
happened to you experienced relationship changes with their spouse and
or partner. I know that's you. Also. Hi, I'm James
lot Junior. I'm a certified life coach in five areas.
Not in this area though, there's a new area of folks,
but in five areas. And I'm talking to somebody who
is certified in this and who specializes guiding women to

(00:51):
come out of the empty nest world. It's oh, well,
we're actually navigating it, because it's it's a thing seventeen years,
nineteen years, twenty years. You are. You have this person
that you're responsible for in your space twenty four to
seven and suddenly it's gone. They can do a lot.

(01:14):
They can do a lot to your psyche. I am sure.
And my guest knows about that, and I saw about
I had two kids, so I know about the grown.
She has a number one best selling author speaker, and
I'm calling her empty nest coach. She's also I mean
homegirls like me. So she has a BS noceanography, so
she's done that. She is a veteran, thank you for

(01:37):
your service in the navy, I think veterans. But she
have anything you want. But she also has a master's
in education. See folks, she's continued education where it's an
emphasis and stem looked at up. You guys don't know
that you can look that up. But I mean like
she she does. She's a multi hyphen it. But now
she is doing this thing to help out people, help me.

(01:58):
Welcome Kelly Sillimons, Kelly, thank you, thank you, my pleasure. Okay,
So I was before the show we were kind of
joking like, well, because there I guess, I'm a coach
in several areas and Whate'm like divorced coaching and like that.
And so there's like new things popping up in terms
of how we are guiding people in very specific areas

(02:21):
of life. So names are always kind of thing. And
I kept saying, well, we know the term empty nester,
everybody knows it, but just in case, what is your
definition of an empty nester?

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Empty nester is parents who children have moved out, who
have moved on who whether they go to college, school,
the military, or just moved down the street and they're
you know, off working and supporting themselves, hopefully supporting themselves,

(02:54):
you know, but they've they've moved out, and all of
a sudden, there's this void and kind of this space
that exists, and a lot of things change in that space.
And so that's what it is when you're an empty nester.
And you know, we all know it's coming. Some of
us hope it's coming faster than we want and and

(03:16):
some of us don't want it to come. But all
of a sudden, there it is. It's like I think
of like the sloth at the DMV and Zutopia, where
it's like like you're watching it come yes and you
and then it keeps on going and you're.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
Just kind of like, oh, oh yeah, right.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
So it's helping people, you know, deal with that. That's
what empty nesting and what I you know, want to
help especially moms kind of deal with that.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
Well. A mother in many cases, not all, but in
many cases, carries a child. That's why I want to
excite to make that distinction. Not all sometimes kids are
born by surrogacy or option or whatever. But but for
you know, for may things. You know, life is given
by women, That's how life is given. So I always
feel like there's a special connection just there that us

(04:12):
fathers just don't have. So that mostly very interesting when
when not saying we're not weeping too when they leave.
But I think it's a little Special's still a little
something that we don't get. Is that that's true, isn't it? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (04:26):
No, absolutely, And you know it's you know, like in
my case, for my husband and myself, like you know,
my husband, yes, it was hard, and and we watch
it go. And we just sent our youngest off to China,
so she was home for the summer, and I was like,
she'll be fine, it's good. She's so excited, like I
was super proud of her. And I kind of moved

(04:48):
through that. But I think also with everything I've been doing,
that really helped me move on it. And my husband
was like, whoa wait a minute, but she's in China,
Like that's the other you know, like that's the other
side of a world, you know, And so it's interesting
watching you know, where we're connected or where we all
of a sudden get stuck and get that that wait,

(05:13):
they're gone, what do we do now, you know, and
and so it's it's it's been really interesting. But I
do think for for a lot of women who are
the primary caregiver, whether it's the Mommy show for for
in the afternoons or or whatever it is, or making
sure just everything's all together, you know, for the most part,

(05:37):
I think that's where a lot of us get stuck.
And and that's why I, you know, I got stuck,
and that's why I wanted to to create a program
and a community and and bring some of my experiences
to women to help them get unstuck and and like

(05:58):
feel like they can move through and and you know,
move on to their next chapter and design that next chapter.

Speaker 1 (06:06):
Lost, we'll get into that next one. No, no, it's good.
And I'm saying I really first want to tell people,
you know, that's what that's what we're here for, and said,
we you know, coaches, identify an issue, then we help
guide you through it, because most time most people were stuck.
That's all. That's kind the whole thing. We're not there
to tell you what to do exactly or make you
do it our way, just like we listen to you.

(06:28):
We're going okay, well, We'll get to that set in
a second, but we stay. We said this one point,
but I do want to say this for fathers of daughters.
I'm a father of two daughters, and your husband, wifelt
the same way. When they move away, it does hit
us differently because there are our girls and we're boys,

(06:48):
and we know how it is the man and how
we can be sides. Want to make that statement. Also,
it was like attacking me if I know, I'm saying
that it can't hit men too, but I know, especially
for me having daughters, they really does.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
Right, Kelly, No, absolutely, I agree. I have a girlfriend
she has two sons, and she said, you know, while
while the kids were in at home and the boys
were there, her husband was, you know, setting the example
and being strong and firm and and everything, and and

(07:23):
the kids went off to school or went off, and
she said, it's been really nice because he's been able
to be more of like the boyfriend and the guy
she dated and he's fell in love with because he
hasn't had that need to step up and be the
example of what he felt like his boys should grow into.

(07:44):
And so, you know, that was an interesting perspective that
I hadn't even thought about. And I was like, oh wow,
that's really interesting. And you know, she said how their
relationship has been really great at you know, and grown
closer because they're kind of back to, you know, when
they were first you know, first started to fall in
love with each other.

Speaker 1 (08:04):
So well, that goes with that sixty seven percent. We're
talking about evational changes. This was a positive one. A
lot of times it's negative. And I know for several
of my Famue members the kids are out the house,
they're like, now what And that can range from what
disdained for each other to hold this stuff and it's
staying together for the kids, maybe not realizing it, but

(08:27):
just like all of a sudden, you're facing each other
or to yay, and everybody go aheads us, oh my god,
us we can find two things you want to do
and in between. But I've seen both.

Speaker 2 (08:39):
Kelly, No, absolutely, and you know, I think you have
the iowan to joke Cherry Bradshaw in the naked room
from failure to lunch right, and they're trying to get
Matthew McConaughey to move out of the house because he
wants a naked room. And you know, but they were
on board. And I think one of the biggest things
is so often we're tag teaming, and you know, you're

(09:02):
going to sports practice and I'm going to music class
or whatever, and you tag team, and all the conversation
and all of the connection is around getting everybody where
they need to be and getting the kids to what
they have to do. And if we don't stop and
take you know, fifteen minutes a day, I call it

(09:24):
a pool time where my husband and I like we
get together and we just would have our conversation and
it was like, okay, great. Even when I was a kid,
my mom used to be like my dad traveled. We'd
be like, yeah, yeah, he's fine. She'd kick us out
and be like we're you know, we'd say hi and
then go do your homework, and they spent a few
minutes together just to connect the two of them. And

(09:46):
I think that a lot of times what happens is
that doesn't happen because we're racing around with the kids
and all of the activities, and then they move out
and all of a sudden, you haven't had those conversations,
you haven't shared the little things or even taken fifteen
minutes a day to kind of just connect with your partner.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
I am, and that's and so it's just again it's
part of that. Just these little bodies leaving your house
can cause such upheaval and good ways and and that's
so good ways. It's really funny, right, It's it's just
it's it's because I'm gonna say this, folks, And I
know it's a cliche. I don't care. I'm gonna say it.

(10:32):
When you're in it raising these children, you want to
drink every day, you want to pull your hair out.
You're so tired from all the activities that you because
you want them to be producting your being. So they're
in They're playing soccer and volleyball and water polo, plus
want to be artists. Plus they gotta do their their

(10:53):
school stuff. Plus I gotta work full time and have
a job. I got to make sure to bring home
money and also be a good role model and deal
with the who's going who gets them on Christmas? And
who does this day? All that happens. There are times
it feels like is going so slow. Then you wake
up and they're fifteen and they're seventeen, and I'm a

(11:15):
grandfather now and my first seat of grandkids are now
young adults. That's what that's not. Now. My daughter's going
through it, so she's least two at home, but one
is out and now watching her navigate that, and I'm like, yeah,
I won't do that too with somebody I know, you know,
but it's that cliche that you know, take every moment

(11:36):
while you can. It may seem like it's it's like
one more diaper or one more tantrum, or one more
skin knee at school, but seriously, Kelly, Kelly, they're like twenty,
they're like eighteen. You're like at their graduate you're buying
prom dresses and then vetting boys and or probby old girls.

(12:00):
You know, you're just like, what it's about college? I
know it's about college. Like what it's crazy, right, It's it.

Speaker 2 (12:10):
Happened so fast, but at the same time, it happens
so well because you're in it. And and but then,
like you said, you turn around and and you just
dropped them off or whatever whatever it is, and you
know it's I think for me, the first time I
really noticed it was really happening was they both were

(12:34):
driving because I had been like I said, the mommy chaufeur.
Of course, we lived in Tennessee, and I drove from
about three o'clock in the after noon until nine o'clock
at night, driving them to all of their events, activities
and whatever else. And so my job I brought with
me in the car. I'd sit outside the McDonald's and
use the free Wi Fi and like be working on things,

(12:55):
and you know. But once they both got their license
and they were driving, all of a sudden, I was like,
wait a minute, I could sit at home and I
could do my jaw you know, and so like it
was exciting because I was like, wow, this is great.
But then it was that time in the car you

(13:16):
had such a connection and they would talk to you
and they would share things because you were just sitting
in the car. And now that they weren't, you weren't
sitting in the car, you know, you started to lose
a little bit of that connection, and how do you
keep that going? So it's like, hey, I'm making dinner.
You're coming down, and you're gonna sit and help me
make dinner. You don't have to make dinner, just come

(13:36):
sit right there and talk to me. You know, if
on the weekend or something, if they weren't going out,
so I could at least connect, you know, And I
think that was kind of the first time where I
was like, Wow, this is really it's gonna happen. And
even knowing that it's still when they both moved out,
it was and I, you know, my husband was traveling
and we were living on a mountain in Tennessee and
all of the things and COVID and post COVID and know,

(14:00):
my hormones were changing, so that added to it, and
and and then here we were and it was like,
uh no, I'm sitting in the house with two big dogs.
And you know, thankfully I moved to Florida and my
sister lives next door. My parents live on the other side,
so I had family around when everybody was gone. But

(14:24):
you know, what are you gonna do?

Speaker 1 (14:25):
Yeah, I did not ignore. We did see a beautiful
dog earlier walk by and like a nice in the position.
But I had to fuck because I'm think by thinking,
he's not gonna mention the dog that walked a few
minutes ago. But you know, I did see. I did
see him. He was cute. Okay, so we got that
part out. I want to I want to get that part,
just like, don't let you guys not at home that

(14:45):
we if you're watching and you're about to be empty
master or you are one, we see you. We get it.
So now let's find out what are some of the
things she that she can do to help. Now, you
know what you call it? You create the nest evolution.
I like that title. Tell me about that and it's
mission sure.

Speaker 2 (15:03):
So the next evolution, we have the nest. We are
the nest. And you know my logo has a phoenix
kind of rising from the nest, but it's not necessarily
coming out of the nest. It's it's the nest, right,
so it's coming out and here we are. And you know,

(15:23):
speaking for myself, you know, I've been known to be
a fiery energy, strong, stubborn and all of those things
kind of woman. I like to get things done. But
it was evolving from what I was. And yes, I
loved being a mom and I'm still a mom, but

(15:44):
I'm a mom in a different way now. And I thought, well,
I have twenty thirty years, like hello, what are you
going to do? Like I need to do something. And
so that's the evolution is it's designing what your new
chapter is going to be. You know, our mission really
is to help women empty nesting women transform and and

(16:06):
evolve to having a life of joy, a life of
purpose or passion, whatever that may be for them, and
letting them know that there's also a community where we
see you. You're not alone, You're not you know, yes,
you're stuck right now, but but we felt that way too.

(16:28):
Let's let's work together how we can move forward.

Speaker 1 (16:31):
And folks, this is something that I, you know, my
child promotes because I've had success later in life. I
continue to do so. And then you are to Kelly,
that is not what you're late. So folks, get out
of your brain because we know it's as we know,
it's tough when you're in this cocoon for like twenty years,
whether it's the same job you've had with twenty years

(16:53):
or whatever, and then you come out of it and
you're like, huh, what do I do now? Because language
has changed, there's like AI robots or whatever, there's all
stuff change. I get we get it. I get it,
get it. So that's why you're here to help to
help them go from what now. It's like you're thinking
of the thing what now to what's next?

Speaker 2 (17:13):
Yes, yes, and and you know, working on ways to
I went on a retreat and that really helped me
because it gave me a few days of just worrying
about myself and just focusing on or listening to myself.

(17:34):
And so much of that is, you know, we're human beings,
but we do so we're more like human doings or
human doers, and sometimes we just need to be and
take in the grief or the confusion or the sense
of loss or whatever you're feeling because all of these
things that were demanding of your time and demanding of

(17:57):
your energy have disappeared. And a lot of us as parents,
we put some of our dreams on hold so that
we can help our kids reach their dreams. And like
I forgot how to dream. And so a lot of
what my evolution has been is recognizing that this is

(18:20):
I have a good life. I live in Naples, Florida,
I have two great dogs, my kids are doing well.
My husband loves me, I love him. I've got family around.
You know, these are all great things. But it was like, oh, well,
you know, we have an old lexus that's got one
hundred and sixty thousand miles on it. And it's great.
We don't need another car. It's fine, it'll last another
fifty thousand miles. Okay, I think we have college figured

(18:42):
out and paid for, Like that's good. We like our house.
And we just kind of were like, okay, we stopped
even dreaming. And I was at an event and somebody
was like, well, what's one of the things on your
bucket list? The only one I knew was I want
to go to Antarctica. I've always want to go to Antarctica.
But other than that, I couldn't even tell you. And
so part of doing What's next is is helping because

(19:05):
we've served everyone and because we've put some of our
things on hold, we haven't even really taken that time
to remember how to dream and to allow ourselves to dream.
And that dream can be something small. It could be like, hey,
I just want to have coffee with a girlfriend once
a week. I mean, fine, start small. It doesn't have
to be big. But that was kind of the part

(19:29):
of this was because I had gotten complacent and like, yeah,
I have a good life.

Speaker 1 (19:33):
Right, And what happens is sometimes with you know, empty
masters and your relationship changes, you're like, I don't even
know what phone service I use because took care of it.
I never thought about it very much. I was telling
the kids. You know now they don't even to pook
their doctors appointments. You know. Now it's up to them.

(19:55):
I can't make them do anything. You know, every six
months going to dentist, there they go. I don't want
to go for the next five years. And you can't
really do anything about it. That's right, is that extra
stuff you can't do anymore? And I think I'm assuming,
and you can make correct me. I'm assuming a lot
of the work you do is identity based work, then
it must be.

Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yes, So looking at what identity you want or what
your art type might be recognizing or honoring. You know,
also many of us, because some of us have started
having children later in life, so we have other things
going on, and you know, our parents are getting needing
more help. You know, our kids may still need the

(20:39):
financial support. The parents might need the financial support. The
hormones are all over the things you always did, like
your confidence has changed because hey always worked out, and
I did all these things and this is what I
ate and I kept my figure and I felt healthy.
And then it doesn't matter what you do. Hey, wow,
we woke up and there's thirty pounds. That's really great. Cool,

(21:00):
how does that happen? Like? You know, so, you know,
there's a lot of the brain fog. And the brain
fog can come from feeling stuck and being lost. It
can come from your digestive system not doing what it's
supposed to be doing. It can come from than a pause.
You know, there's so many things. Just the stress of
all of those things can cause the brain fog. So

(21:22):
it's like the perfect storm. It all comes together and
you know, finding that way to move forward and recognize
what you want your identity to be and also designing
what you want your life, like, your daily life to be.
You know, maybe you're both out working really really hard
and you're doing all of these things, but have you

(21:44):
sat down together with your significant other and gotten clear
on really what you want the next five, ten or
twenty years to look like. Maybe you can both keep
steps back or do something different that's more interesting to
you instead of both stays in a you know, super crazy,
you know, high stress, high demand job, and it might

(22:05):
give you that opportunity to do other things. Yeah, but
if you can't dream about it and you can't think
of you have the time to even do that. Then
you know you're running in the circle. And it just
makes it work because the brain is, you know, overpowered
with everything going on.

Speaker 1 (22:22):
Kelly brings up a point that's about all the time
of the show, The Sandwich Generation many of us, when
we get to that point of empty nesthood. Even it's
a worund as a word, We're gonna make it a word,
empty nesthood. I have degrees, you guys, I swear it,
I do, but but no, seriously, I'm in I'm in
it right now. I'm carrying my mom so but I

(22:44):
have adult children and then I have adult grandchildren and
baby grandchildren. So I'm right in the middle. She's grabbing
my attention, but it's all women for me. She's value
my attention. They're grabbing my attention and literally you're in
the middle and you're right and your body changes for
men too, folks. I want you guys to understand, women

(23:05):
is more outward than Menopause is what they go through.
It's just because that's what they go through. My sins
going through right now. How flashes are crazy, I get it.
We laugh all the time. She's like, I'm just thought
of the inside. It's crazy. But men we go through
stuff too soon as we get low testosterone. Sometimes health
challenges happen. For me, Kelly's just spoke my language. I

(23:26):
woke up during COVID and it was like, oh my god,
I wasy my mother's calling it a secretary spread. How
about fifty pounds overweight? What happened? I was like, you know,
and you're like, and you can't just I'll run for
three days and I'll lose the weight. That's not Your
metabolism is different, and men and women have dor metabolism.
They carry weight differently. It's weight loss is different. So
and so you're right, there's a lot of stuff that

(23:48):
goes on. So empty nests is kind of like just
just termed starting out about the kids leaving the nests.
But then you're confronted with all these things, right, all
these things in front of you because just think it's
age and just time and all that isn't it?

Speaker 2 (24:06):
Yes? Absolutely? And again I think for me it was
one starting to dream again and even thinking about what
it was I wanted, and then getting really clear and
you know, doing a bunch of professional development, mindset training
and all those things which I'd always loved, right, but

(24:26):
getting clear on what is it I want to do
or how I want to do something, so that I
could then say, okay, yeah, these are the things that
I want to do, so that when I'm faced with
having to help my parents or whatever's going on with
my body that day, or you know, whatever the relationship,
whether it's a good one or maybe it's not going

(24:48):
so well, if I'm clear on the things that I'm
trying to go towards and focus towards, then I can
put those things in and address them but still know
what I'm trying to shoot for. And you know, yes,
sometimes we have to posit because we do have to
take care of things major health issue or whatever with
family or yourself. But but I think having that clarity

(25:11):
is so important and and and again I love saying
the designing your life because that for me was really
important in saying, okay, this is these are the things
that I want to do throughout my day or what
I want my day to look like. I don't want
to work ninety hours a day, like you know, and
at the end of the day, I want to turn
off and I want to walk away from my computer,

(25:32):
especially working from home. You know, it's like because otherwise
all you know, like many will sit there till one
I look, I'm like, oh, it's one thirty in the morning,
I should go to bed, you know. So again designing
the day and then honoring ourselves to do that, which
again is being clear on what are what we want.

(25:53):
That's been really helpful for for a lot of women
to help them move forward.

Speaker 1 (25:58):
One of the last things I want to talk about
because I think it's very important. It's last, just because
I wanted to kind of hit this last. Another struggle,
of course, and they say this sometimes when people retire.
Also depression to thirty percent of women experienced significant depression
during the empty nest transition. I know that I've seen

(26:18):
that in person, and they're obviously when they're gone, they
come back home and they're like, now what I've had
friends go, I don't know what my life is. My
life was my daughter's. I did everything for them, So
now I'm a loser because I didn't do anything myself.
Or why did I? Why didn't I? Why are you?

(26:40):
All these questions they get depressed. So I'm sure part
of your practice also dealing with telling them with their depression.

Speaker 2 (26:47):
I'm sure, Well, you know, I'm not a therapist and
I'm not a doctor or anything like that. But again,
it's those things and helping and recognizing and honoring and
giving ourselves great because I think we're so hard on
ourselves and we make rules on how we can be,
how we can fail really easy, or why we didn't

(27:10):
do it right really easy, and then those rules to
succeed we make really hard. But some days it's just hey,
you got up and you fed the dogs, and he
went to the grocery store, and you came home and
you put everything away and that was your day. Like

(27:30):
like you know, some days that's just where you're at.
And if that's where you need to be, then you
need to recognize that with the things that you did
that day on a piece of paper if you need to,
Like I love lists, I show them all over my desk.
Thank goodness, you can't see them. It's a mess. But
but I think you know, honoring and recognizing that it

(27:54):
is an issue or a situation that you that you
know you may need to go get medical help for that,
and that's okay because if it gets you the boost
to get you to where you need to be so
that you can feel like you can even do the
dogs and the grocery store. Then that's what you need.

(28:16):
You know, you can go and do crazy things like
I can try some psychedelics down you know, in Costa
Rica and try something crazy. You know, there's all kinds
of things out there that they're doing research for PTS
it against stress and anxiety, a well, plunging that can
help with stress and anxiety and inflammation. You know, There's

(28:37):
there's lots of other things that you can add in
mindset can also really help in how you are recognizing
your thoughts or are you letting your thoughts take over?

Speaker 1 (28:51):
You know.

Speaker 2 (28:51):
Think of it like a cloud. Hey, okay, I see
the cloud. Wow, that's a cool cumulonimbus cloud. Okay, there
it goes. Or oh no, now it's going to rain
and it's going to thunderstorm and it's going to do this,
and there's going to be lightning and there's you know,
and and you know, we we tend to do that
a lot, especially when we're feeling down lost, like we

(29:14):
didn't do something maybe for ourselves, but you have kids
that you've sent off into the world and hopefully they're
being good, good, you know, citizens and providing to society
and contributing to society. Don't discount that. That takes a lot.

Speaker 1 (29:31):
And I want to pick it back off for you
and say, because she makes up at that point, we're
not clinicians, we're not psychotherapists or no psychologists psychiatrists. But
or as my friend says, however, common coaches are still
all valuable in that space of depression because you said,

(29:53):
everything she just said will recognize, will help you recognize
the depression on someone wall, and we'll give you stuff
tools to work on. And maybe additional help would be
those of the individuals. But I know some people who
are like just us giving them permission to feel that's helped,
just giving them or giving them options to go. Think about,

(30:15):
what are the things you used to like to do
twenty years ago. I used to love hiking. I used
to go to the beach. Well, go to the beach.
I mean, we coaches were good at that stuff. So
I don't want to discount coaches either. By my I'm
with cal to make sure we know you know, we're
not We don't give advice, so we don't do prescriptions
like that or you know, but we do. We are

(30:36):
we are a conduit to thought pattern and thought changing.
And like I said, maybe it's like yeah, take some
shrooms and go sit out and you know, and death Valley.
I don't know. I mean that's I mean, that's it's
run for some folks. I mean I did some edimbals
that once in a while, and it helps for me,
you know. You know. I told another one time because
she was getting have an anxiety and and so I say, girl,

(30:57):
take one of these. It's like a low dose, like
five milli something and she felt good, didn't hurt. I
might talk to a doctor about at first, but like
she didn't hurt or nothing, and it was just kind
of like it was just it relaxed her mind for
a while. And there's a lot of holistics that's not
that's not a story, but it's like say, coaches, we
can't be still helpful when it comes to someone feeling

(31:20):
because there are types of depression too during degrees, and
some folks just have like the you know, the baseline
depression because of this happened, I feel the pressed. It's
not clinical so much or anything, and we can be
helpful to that. We can't help sometimes.

Speaker 2 (31:34):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean situational depression, you know, yes, living
on a mountain, going through COVID or all the other
things happening. Like who who knew was that situational depression?

Speaker 1 (31:50):
Yeah? I say, yeah, you know, got in.

Speaker 2 (31:53):
An empty house by myself with the dogs, and.

Speaker 1 (31:55):
I was like I did, right, I hear my house
by myself, going I can't go outside and talk to
people in person, that I'm an extrovert. You know, you
already know me. I'm an extra I'm like beat people up.
I don't really know. I can't. I can't do any
of thats. It's crazy. I went a little crazy for
a minute.

Speaker 2 (32:18):
Yeah. So I you know, I agree with you what
you're saying, James completely, because there are things to look at,
you know. I I talk about in the in the
book that we're both in about trying to remember a
time when I like just refused to give up. And
and I think about when I was trying to go

(32:39):
to the Naval Academy and you know, telling my story
of what I was trying to do to get in.
But what that did was that was in a personal
development class that I was taking, and they asked me
to think about a time when I was like determined
that something was going to happen and I hadn't really
thought about it in a long time, and that helped
me move asked some of my being stuck because I

(33:02):
remembered how strong I was and how capable I was,
and if I could do that when I was a teenager,
when I was a freshman in high school, well, you know,
at fifty four years old, I could do a lot
of things. And so it was really amazing how that
that was just one of the one of the switches
for me. That was like, go forth, you can do this,

(33:24):
you know, you can go get what is it that
you want? And then I had to figure out what
it was that I wanted. But you know, but it
really helped shift where my brain was stuck in. You know,
I'm lost and my kids aren't here, and I was
teaching again, and I was not happy doing that, and
I loved teaching. So that was like a red flag

(33:45):
for me right there. You know. So it really is
amazing when you can find the right coach, our mentor
to help you just ask the right question or help
you recall something that help you take that action and
move forward a little.

Speaker 1 (34:04):
Bit and folks on this show at episodes you can
go down the line. But I talk about how to
vetter life coach just well, you know, you don't have
to sell just one. You can figure it out and
try them out and see which one seems to resonate
with you and work with you or have Sometimes it's
just nothing wrong with them. It's just that this person's

(34:25):
way of doing it fits you the most. It's okay
to be okay thinking of that. If they want your help,
I want to find you. I'll put it in the description.
Of course, won't you just say it out loud? Where
can they sure?

Speaker 2 (34:43):
They go to the next Evolution dot com uh and
connect with us, connect with me there. I'm also email
is support at your Next Evolution dot Com. You can
find me on Facebook and Instagram, empty nest Evolution, empty
nest Evo, and I'm also on LinkedIn Kelly eh Sammon's
but love to love to find those empty nesters who

(35:07):
want a sense of community and and want to find
their joy again and remember their strength because they're bad
ass women who raise kids and got the job done
and they're still here and they can do do some
amazing things going forward.

Speaker 1 (35:25):
I agree with that. You're a badass. Will win to you, Kelly,
So just no, Mad's in my eyes. Yes, and you'll
be back on the show. While we're back on the show.
I always like to keep people around, So you'll be
back on the show from toil, from other stuff. But folks,
if you are an emp nester, because I know it's fall,
so many kids are in college. I went, I went
through it. I noticed, like we feel you, we do,

(35:48):
we feel you. But just know that's how evolution rens.
That's how it's supposed to be. I mean, that's everything
is happening the way it's supposed to be happening. But
we understand it's tough. I'm James Aunior. Of course you
can follow me everywhere. James logenis soul that James Lodd Jr.
And all social media platforms going TikTok, a lot of help,
do a lot of help dot com, a lot of help,
my blog, a lot of help on Facebook. I'm tired

(36:11):
of saying all that. And James on just is everywhere,
just everywhere. Just find me everywhere. Just do it and
follow her. We don't I'll find you. We do that. Also,
thanks everybody for listening to this program and or watching
that's gonna be We're We're also on all streaming audio
platforms iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple, Audible, Deseer, cash Box. So you

(36:33):
check us out there. Just going I'm growl everywhere. I'm
like everybody, just just go everywhere, and you'll find this program.
You'll find her and everyone. If you're on the East coast,
which she is. But if you're on the East Coast
and you're near Charcoal Storm and Melda or whatever, please
be came out. I'm sending you love and light and
just hopefully, hopefully things won't get so bad. I know
it's that season right now. I don't miss that part

(36:53):
of living on the West coast, so I in Florida.
I'm not sending all love and light and smoothness your direction,
so please be careful out there by
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