When solitude isn’t silence, it’s soul work.

Some kinds of quiet are peaceful.
Others are heavy.

There’s the quiet of a morning porch, warm coffee in hand.
And then there’s the quiet of scrolling at midnight, wondering if anyone sees you.

Lately, I’ve felt the second.

Because even when you're doing meaningful work….
Holding a full-time job. (writing a book)
Showing up at family birthdays and baby showers with a gift and a smile.
Folding laundry late at night, running out of coffee or mayonnaise, AGAIN….becasue who can remember all that.

replying to messages that come with invisible expectations…

Even when you're pouring yourself into all of it
you can still feel profoundly alone.

Not because you’re doing something wrong.
Not because you aren’t strong enough.
But maybe… because the more honest , brave and aligned you become
the quieter the world around you gets.

People drift.
Platforms shrink.
You become more you and sometimes, the world just doesn’t know what to do with that.

And that’s where I’ve been lately:
In the weight of that . . . .
In the constant tension of living a full life while wondering who’s still with me in it.

And underneath it all, I keep asking:

Did I choose this solitude… or did this solitude choose me?

🪶 What the Nest Taught Me

This whole brand Nest & North was born from an empty nest.
But if I’m honest, I didn’t know how deep that ache would go.

There’s this stretch of time that comes after the house quiets down, after the sports schedules stop, after the kids move out, after the noise that filled your world for decades just… fades.

And in that hush, you start asking:

  • Who am I now?

  • What do I do with all this time and space and silence?

  • Am I still needed? Still wanted?

For a while, I thought maybe I had nothing left to say.
But the truth is…I was just finally quiet enough to hear my own voice again.

Because the nest isn’t just what’s left behind.
It’s where you begin again.

And when the nest feels empty, maybe that’s when it’s finally ready to hold you. Your healing. Your voice. Your story. Your next season.

So now I say this with tenderness and truth:

“This isn’t just the end of a chapter. It’s the sacred beginning of your becoming.”

 

If you’ve felt this too the ache of unseen effort, the quiet after the noise, the strange mixture of grief and grace. I want to invite you into the deeper work I’m exploring in The BRAVE Way Home.

Inside, you’ll find:

  • Soul map reflections for reclaiming the lost parts of yourself

  • Stories of what it means to come home after being everything for everyone else

  • Honest prayers for the woman who’s tired of being strong, but still standing

Want a preview ?
Download: Coming Home to Me: 9 Questions for Reclaiming the Lost Parts

Click here for page 1

You’re not alone in this quiet.
And this quiet might just be the beginning of your next brave thing.

Jennifer Dalton

I’m a seasoned human services leader with over 20 years of experience walking with families through some of the hardest roads they’ll ever travel. I currently serve full time as an Associate Director in foster care, where my core focus has always been people.

I hold a master’s degree in human services, and I am a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP), but more than any title, my work has been shaped by what I’ve learned in the trenches: how to show up with compassion, lead with integrity, and hold space for healing.

Lately, I’ve been planting seeds beyond the system. I am writing a book for women who’ve wandered off the path, fought their way back, and want to lead from a place of healing. It’s a continuation of the same mission: helping others reclaim their voice, their strength, and their direction.

I’m also a mom to three, a bonus mom to two, and a growing gang of grandchildren. They remind me daily that legacy isn’t built all at once it’s shaped moment by moment, through presence, purpose, and connection

My career has been forged in the fire of frontline work, and now I want to build a legacy. I’m always open to connecting with others who care deeply about people, systems, and the stories that shape us.

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A simple errand turns into a crisis with a side of hot flashes.

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Living Bravely, Overcoming Self-Doubt