In Project Empty Nest, bestselling happiness expert Gretchen Rubin tackles the moment a child leaves home—charting a clear roadmap through one of life’s great transitions, toward happiness, purpose, and renewal.

As a longtime student of happiness, Rubin explores the opportunity and challenges of the “empty nest.” Time and energy free up. Questions long ignored suddenly demand answers. New options appear. The end of daily parenting allows–even forces–us to ask: Who am I now? What am I for? How do I hold my child close—yet let them go? Or even: Now is it okay to eat dinner in front of the TV?

For many parents, the conventional wisdom—“Get a hobby!” “Enjoy your freedom!”—falls flat. Why? If we don’t understand exactly what’s causing our pain, we can’t address it. And if we don’t face our new reality, we may drift into isolation, neediness, or estrangement.

Drawing on new research, hundreds of conversations with parents, and her own experience—and with her signature insight and humor—Rubin guides us through the nine essential questions of this stage of life. She offers concrete advice, from how to handle the shock of a child’s departure to how to step into a future filled with meaning and love.

Project Empty Nest: Now What? (Crown) will hit the shelves on July 13, 2027. Sign up to learn more.