Empty Nest Ikigai

A year ago, I was mentally preparing for my empty nest , counting down the days until my daughter would leave for college on the other side of the world. Looking back now, I realize just how BIG that moment was. She flew from Japan to New York alone, starting the most significant chapter of her life without me. And she did it! We both navigated this biggest transition, miles apart across different continents— but together in spirit. 2024 Haneda Airport, Tokyo, Japan  Finding My Ikigai: The Starting Point 🖊📚💻 I began this blog to document my journey into empty nesting while searching for my ikigai . For those unfamiliar, ikigai is about finding your purpose by discovering what you love, what you're good at, how you can make a difference, and how you can turn that into a livelihood. Thankfully, I had my hobbies, friends, a fulfilling career, and the beautiful, safe country of Japan to keep me grounded. Over the past year, I’ve endeavored to capture my experiences, and ...

 My name is Lorena, and I am an American teacher living in Japan, I moved here in 2016 with my daughters. Both my daughters are off pursuing their own dreams and living their best lives in USA, this is my first year as an empty nester, I know based on my life experiences that this year is going to be full of many new adventures and lots of growing pains. I decided to use this blog to document the journey.  Living in Japan, has given me the opportunity to live freely and taught me to be more present in the moment, slowing down and appreciating the little things. It has helped me make sense of life and focus on what really matters.  I want to share my unique perspective and hopefully my experiences will be inspirational and possibly open up new possibilities As I navigate this new phase of life known as the "Empty Nest," I believe it to be a fertile ground for growth and self-discovery. No longer tethered to the daily responsibilities of parenting, I suddenly...