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- I struggled with loneliness when I became an empty nester. I found new hobbies, got a dog, and started traveling. (businessinsider.com)
Geelong Empty Nester Finds Joy After Loneliness
For Justine Martin, 54, of Geelong, Australia, the moment her youngest child, a 17-year-old daughter, moved out was a shock. Having been a mother for 22 years, Martin wasn’t prepared for the sudden quiet and the question of her identity now that her parenting role had shifted. The unexpected early departure of her daughter, coupled with a pre-existing rift between them, left Martin feeling lost and alone.
“I had so much time on my hands,” Martin recalls, “and I didn’t know what to do with it.” As a single parent, the silence in her home was deafening. To cope with the loneliness, Martin sought therapy, a decision that proved pivotal in her journey of self-rediscovery.
Facing health challenges, including a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2011 and a cancer battle in 2016, Martin found solace in dog-sitting for a friend. This experience paved the way for her to adopt Pansy, a dachshund who became her devoted companion. “She follows me literally everywhere,” Martin laughs.
With Pansy by her side and her health improving, Martin began to explore her newfound freedom. Trips across Australia to visit friends and family, initially tinged with the unfamiliar feeling of traveling solo, gradually became a source of liberation.
She embraced new hobbies, including painting and sculpting, even illustrating children’s books. The unexpected financial benefit of a smaller grocery bill helped fuel her artistic pursuits.
Martin’s advice for other empty nesters? “Don’t wait for someone else to make you happy.” She emphasizes the importance of self-care, even in small ways, like making the bed each day, to maintain a positive mindset.
While the transition to an empty nest wasn’t easy, Martin’s story is one of resilience and rediscovery. Today, she enjoys a renewed relationship with her daughter and embraces her role as a grandmother, welcoming the lively presence of her grandchildren into her home.