Finding myself
Who am I?
What do I do next?
How do I get there?
What is my role now?
These questions didn’t arrive politely one at a time. No they came all at once—and then circled back again and again during this empty nesting journey.
Let’s start with who am I.
For me, the best place to begin was describing myself in both the past and the present. I am a mother of four and a wife of almost 30 years this coming May. I chose to give up my Physical Therapy degree to be a full-time mom and the wife of an ARMY soldier. Now let me be clear—I have zero regrets. Not for a second. Not even with the constant moves, the unpredictability, and the emotional rollercoaster that came with military life for our entire family.
That season was full, demanding and purpose-driven. But seasons change and so do we. I’ll be honest—I thrive on chaos. I always have. When that chaos slowly faded, I felt the need to add something back onto my plate. That’s when I jumped on the social media bandwagon.
I started writing down my thoughts and sharing them on a new page I created, Imperfect Balance by Jenn. In my wildest dreams, I never imagined I’d become one of those people—sharing daily projects, small accomplishments, and whatever happened to be on my mind. Chasing followers, thumbs-ups, and heart emojis.
But that’s not what it turned into. What I found instead was joy—real joy—in the possibility of helping someone else. Offering encouragement, sharing what’s worked, what hasn’t and what I’m still figuring out. Not for the hearts and thumbs up, but for connections.
Even as I continued to work and volunteer in a few odds and ends, something shifted. I no longer felt the pull to do things simply because others needed me to. For the first time in a long time, I wanted to search for me—what I enjoy, what fuels me, what brings me peace.
That doesn’t mean I stopped showing up. If one of my people or a friend needs something, I’m all in—always will be. But I stepped back from constant giving and started focusing on what I needed. Good health and wellness, growing and building in the garden, strengthening my faith.
and rekindling life with my best friend—my husband. ( that story deserves its own space, so we’ll save it for another BLOG post).
For now, I don’t have all the answers yet, and I’m learning that I don’t need them all at once. Finding myself isn’t about reinventing who I was—it’s about seeing me while making room for who I’m becoming. This season is quieter, yes, but it’s also intentional. Purpose doesn’t disappear when roles change; it simply shifts shape. And for the first time in a long while, I’m allowing myself to listen, to grow slowly, and to build a life that feels rooted, meaningful, and true. This is not the end of my story—it’s the steady beginning of a new chapter, and I’m walking into it with eyes open and heart full.
Jenn
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