If you have school age kids, then you might be dragging yourself through the “100 Days of May” right now. The intensity of this month around kid activities has slowed for me, with one daughter in college, and another driving herself around Denver. Work has stepped in to fill the gaps and I am grateful to have steady business. But, I still have moments in the day that aren’t scheduled down to the 15-minute window. Historically, my pattern has been to move quickly to fill these windows with productive tasks that keep my family and business moving forward. However, this year, I find that I am not responding as quickly to fill every minute with efficiency.

I am on the precipice of being an empty nester with just one more year before my youngest heads off to college. This life phase feels like a tide change that happens at a different time every day. One minute, I am happy because my “babies” are doing well out in the world. The next minute, I feel caught in the low tide, unsure of what comes next, and how I should ready myself to respond.

I've been reflecting a lot on how we show up during these quieter moments—the times when progress slows, the energy shifts, and the results aren’t as immediate or clear. When we find ourselves in these times of ebb, we feel off-center, and it is easy to give into feeling sad. Instead of resisting the ebb, and rushing to fill it, I am learning to embrace it—letting myself truly feel it, understand it, and grow from it. Being deeply and even painfully present in the ebb is revealing. By pausing and allowing, we can learn so much about who we truly are, and what we need. These learning moments are what shapes us as we move through life.

If you find yourself in an ebb right now, I invite you to linger and observe how you’re showing up. Let yourself be present with what’s unfolding, knowing that even in the quiet discomfort, there is movement happening beneath the surface. The ebb won’t last forever, but the lessons it offers will stay with you long after the tide has turned.