How long does it take to feel okay after your kid leaves for college?

I wish I could tell you it's a few weeks. Or even a few months. For me, it took longer than that.

In this episode, I share the unusual way I measured my own progress over the years, and the recent moment that made me realize just how much had changed.

I also talk about why major life transitions can take longer than we expect, why getting back to "normal" isn't the same as being completely through it, and one positive step you can take right now to help yourself move forward.

If you're in those first painful days or months after your kid leaves, this episode is for you.

Because yes... it really does get better.

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @thorchallgren

Website: https://thorchallgren.com

Some college parents are reportedly spending thousands of dollars hiring professional designers to decorate their kids’ dorm rooms.

Um… okay.

But this episode isn’t really about dorm rooms.

It’s about what happens when you see someone else’s perfect move-in, the parent whose kid calls every day, or the empty nester who seems absolutely thrilled with their new life—and suddenly you start wondering:

Am I doing this wrong?

In this episode, I’m talking about the empty nest comparison trap, why I think we’re especially vulnerable to it during this stage of life, and how social media has made it almost impossible not to see how everyone else seems to be doing.

And I’ll share one simple trick that might just stop the comparison game cold.

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @thorchallgren

Website: https://thorchallgren.com

Your child has left for college. The calendar that once organized your life suddenly has wide-open spaces. And everyone seems to want to know the same thing:

So… what are you going to do now?

But what if you genuinely don't know?

In this episode of Encore Living, I explore what author Jim Collins calls “the fog”—the period of uncertainty that can follow a major life transition when the old path has ended, but the new one isn't visible yet.

For empty nesters, that fog can feel unsettling. But not being able to see what's next doesn't mean there's nothing next.

We'll talk about why you don't need to figure out the rest of your life right now, why this may not be the time to force a huge decision, and how small experiments—from trying a new hobby to reconnecting with people—can help you begin moving forward.

You don't need to see five miles down the road.

You just need to see the next 20 feet.

You can find me here:

Dr. Thor on Instagram @thorchallgren

Website: https://thorchallgren.com