The Empty-Nest Quiz

The Empty-Nest Quiz is for women who are mentally preparing for the transition that comes with a child [now teen!] leaving the home or as they say, “fleeing the nest.” Regardless of your child's character (independent, willful, or homebody), regardless of how ready you think you might be, their absence will shake things up in your own life.

From my own personal experience and from talking with mothers around the world, I have identified 4 key areas that will have a major impact on how smooth or disruptive this transition will be:

Community
Identity
Relationship
Spirituality

This assessment is meant to help you identify the areas to be strengthened, along with customized feedback to put into practice. To receive the full benefit, please answer as honestly as possible.

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Community

1/20

1. It is incredibly important to you to spend time giving back to a cause you care about - so much, that you have time carved-out on your calendar dedicated to that cause.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Community

2/20

2. When you're out with your girlfriends, you spend the majority of your time talking about your kids.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Community

3/20

3. Many of your interests revolve around other people. You're constantly doing for or with others. But - if you sit back and really think about it, you're not sure you could pinpoint any interests that are truly just your own and that you would do if no one else were around to do them with.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Community

4/20

4. You're fairly social, you have many, many great friends but then you see a post on social media where someone talks about how close their tight-knit friend group is, and you realise that actually you don't have anyone truly close to you like that. Definitely not like that.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Identity

5/20

5. You've always been the "pretty girl" in the room but now when you're out with friends, you feel completely invisible and find yourself missing the attention you used to get.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Identity

6/20

6. Someone has posted a long heartfelt letter about the grief they're experiencing as their child is headed to university. You too have a sense of impending loss but also know that you're doing your job as a mother by cutting the apron strings. You feel somewhat sad, but it's not killing you.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Identity

7/20

7. In social situations with highly-accomplished working women, you often feel inferior despite the fact that by all measures, you have a comfortable life.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Identity

8/20

8. You consider your best friend to be more beautiful/intelligent/stylish/richer/thinner/more accomplished than you (pick any or all that apply). You genuinely love how people admire her for all that she is. No part of you is envious of her. None. You're just grateful you're on the same team.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Identity

9/20

9. Anyone looking at your life would consider it enviable -- you've "got it all"-- high octane career or nice family, nice house, nice cars, etc. And yet, you can't pinpoint what's missing.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Relationship

10/20

10. Your partner's phone is on the counter and you see neutral-enough texts coming through from someone you don't recognise from his usual contacts. You decide to look through his phone.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Relationship

11/20

11. When you're out for dinner and its just you and your spouse, one of you or both spend the majority of your time on your phones and are "that couple that doesn't talk to each other."

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Relationship

12/20

12. Your husband spends every weekend doing his own thing (golf, running, tennis, cycling, etc.) and you have decided that with all the extra time you'll soon have, you will take up that activity too to spend more time with him.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Relationship

13/20

13. As we age, almost everyone's desire for sex wanes, especially if you've been married for many years. Even though the frequency isn't what it was, you both feel like you're meeting each other's sexual needs.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Relationship

14/20

14. About six months ago, you discovered your husband had an affair that is now over. Obviously you're very hurt and angry and since then, have fought, cried and thrown fits. Once you're finally at a place where you can have a calm discussion, you feel like you want to figure out a way to save your marriage.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Relationship

15/20

15. When your partner does something that really upsets you, you think nothing of criticizing him either to his face or in public.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Spirituality

16/20

16. Prayer or meditation is a part of your daily routine.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Spirituality

17/20

17. You have been truly and seriously emotionally wounded by: someone in your life, natural disaster, death, heartache, etc. If you believe in a higher power, the devastation you experienced would negatively impact your relationship with that higher power.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Spirituality

18/20

18. You wake up with a migraine. Your go-to is to feel grateful for the medication, soft bed and quiet room.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Spirituality

19/20

19. You're at the grocery store where social-distancing is in place and someone starts screaming at you in hysterics because you've stepped too close. You know for yourself you are well outside the required radius so think nothing of defending yourself and shouting back.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

The Empty-Nest Quiz

Spirituality

20/20

20. You have a contemplative or mindfulness practice but also have many days where you find it hard to get out bed.

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

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