Holland describes her own jarring experience of suddenly finding her house empty after the last of her three children left for college, and offers advice on how to process such loss and constructively fill the void., AARP The Magazine
Holland provides advice for empty nesters, pulling from over 300 interviews with a diverse group of parents, in her instructive debut. With a focus on managing one’s relationships during this transitional period, Holland suggests reinvigorating one’s life with double dates and social plans (while also being wary of “suffocating” friends and family) and engaging in activities such as volunteering, taking classes, and reconnecting with old friends. Holland also explores why marriage can be more difficult after children leave and offers strategies to make the transition less rocky. While much of the advice is directed toward women, there are tips for men, as well—particularly in relation to reforming friendships at an older age. A significant portion of the book addresses creating new and respectful relationships with adult children after they leave, or if they “boomerang” back home, with helpful advice on setting boundaries. This shrewd guide will be useful to any empty nester concerned about next steps., Publishers Weekly
Gleaning advice from more than 300 individuals from various backgrounds, Holland offers tips for finding new meaning in life and a sense of belonging through involvement in a particular cause or activity, finding a new career, and/or drawing closer to extended family members. VERDICT Holland puts a positive spin on what could be a tumultuous season of life, providing a solid route on which to travel., Library Journal
Life has many seasons, each rich in opportunities to learn, grow and, ultimately, to thrive amid its challenges. HappiNest will help you navigate this next season - to forge richer relationships, cultivate new passions, and to embrace its many possibilities with a newfound sense of courage, clarity and adventure. -- Margie Warrell, Bestselling author of "Train The Brave" and "Make Your Mark"
In her book HappiNest, Judy Holland presents a vivid road map to help you navigate uncharted territory when your last child leaves home. This thought-provoking and evidence-based book presents valuable insights and practical advice such as how to set ground rules if your child “boomerangs” back into the household, how to prune and cultivate friendships for more soul per square inch, and how to add spark, novelty and joy to your empty nest marriage. HappiNest entertains, enlightens and eases the passage into the second half of life. -- David J. Pollay, MAPP, best-selling author of "The Law of the Garbage Truck"
HappiNest: Finding Fulfillment When Your Kids Leave Home is a valuable resource for empty nesters. Judy Holland has expertly curated interviews, quotes, research studies and statistics to comfort, inspire and encourage those of us who are heading into or who are in the empty nest. -- Christine Maziarz, Your Empty Nest Coach
Regardless of how times change or how fast paced our lives become, there are few things that shake up our world quite as much as the arrival of a new member of the household. However, for some parents, the departure of their youngest, or only, child and the resultant “empty nest” can be as challenging an experience as the child’s arrival had been.
This book provides the type of comfort, content, and stabilizing support that many parents seek when they are trying to figure out who they have become (and who their partners have become) in the years since children first arrived on the scene. The book provides a multitude of different answers to the questions that we all want to ask of those who have been through an experience we are just now facing, “What was it like for you? What did you do to cope?”
With the variety of stories included in the book, Judy Holland provides a wealth of support and suggestions to help readers effectively manage this transition. Just like the title promises, the book absolutely delivers engaging and inspiring ideas that will set the reader on a path to a new type of personal fulfillment. -- Suzanne Degges-White, Professor and Chair, Department of Counseling and Higher Education, Northern Illinois University, author of "Sisters and Brothers for Life: Making Sense of Sibling Relationships in Adulthood"
Becoming an empty nester poses an existential challenge to many parents: when kids leave, so does a major source of purpose for parents. Fortunately, they can now turn to HappiNest to help them navigate this transition. Judy Holland’s book draws on fascinating psychology research and tells the stories many empty nesters to show how people can redefine their purpose and identity after the kids leave home. This book will bring hope and comfort to those parents searching for meaning in the second half of life. -- Emily Esfahani Smith, author of "The Power of Meaning"
Having worked with thousands of empty nesters, as well as, living the empty nest, this book is on the pulse for helping others with a reality vs fantasy time of life. Holland has done her research and offers the reader the challenges and joys of the empty nest milestone. -- Natalie Caine, MA, founder of www.lifeintransition.org
I don't say this lightly: this book could save your life. With middle-aged adults, particularly women, dying younger than previous generations from 'diseases of despair,' finding a renewed sense of purpose and zest during the empty nest period is a recipe for happiness and meaning. Judy Holland has brilliantly woven together stories, research and checklists that will appeal to anyone who wants to find out how to fill the empty nest in important ways. -- Caroline Adams Miller, author of "Creating Your Best Life" and "Getting Grit"