Grief, the Lesson I Remembered: Non-Death Grief for Lost Roles, Identities, & Dreams

When most people hear the word grief, they think of losing someone they love. But over the years, (through my own spiritual practice, intuitive work and countless conversations with women navigating transition) I’ve learned that grief shows up in many forms. We grieve people, yes…but we also grieve roles, identities, dreams, seasons in life and versions of ourselves we thought we'd always be.

This became reality for me recently. I realized I was grieving from the role loss that meant a lot to me. It wasn’t a death, but it was an ending. One I didn’t expect, and one I didn’t think would impact me.

What’s funny is that I ended up processing a lot of it with the help of my own intuition, the wisdom I’ve gathered over the years, and yes, even through some AI conversations. It’s a reminder that healing finds us in unexpected ways when we’re willing to be honest about what we’re feeling.

We don’t often acknowledge these losses:

• Leaving a role

• Losing a title

• Stepping away from a group or identity

• Ending a dream we held

• Recognizing that something no longer fits

Because when a role ends, the structure that held us ends too. The place we put our energy, our heart, our purpose shifts. And even if the ending is “right,” the body still reacts. The nervous system still needs time to recalibrate. The soul needs time to catch up.

For me, the loss of this role stirred up more than I expected. There was some sadness, confusion, and even a sense of questioning: Who am I without this? What do I do next? It brought up layers I didn’t know were in me. But as I slowed down, listened, and honored what came up, I realized this loss was gently guiding me toward deeper alignment...toward the next version of my work, my message, and myself.  Loss clears space for truth. When something ends, something else finally has room to speak!

If You’re Navigating a Loss Of Any Kind, Here Are a Few Ways to Support Yourself:

1. Name what you’re actually grieving.

   Sometimes it’s not the role itself…It’s the meaning you gave it, the community it provided, the identity it reinforced or the feeling of being valued. Naming it can bring clarity and compassion.

   
   

2. Allow the pause.

   This is the “wait to respond” part. You don’t have to rush into a new role, a new project, or a new identity. Let your nervous system settle, your energy shift and the space be space.

   
   

3. Write the version of you that’s ending a thank-you letter.

   This can be surprisingly powerful. Thank her for what she did for you, what she carried and what she made possible. Then gently let her go.

   
   

4. Ask yourself: What wants to emerge now?

   Not from urgency and pressure but from truth and the wisdom of within, a knowing. 

   
   

5. Receive support from your spiritual tools, from community, from whatever helps you feel grounded.

   Healing isn’t meant to be done alone. We all have tools and support shows up in unexpected places when we’re willing to accept it. Even from AI by asking the right questions! 😜

If you’re in your own season of transition, I hope this gives you permission to slow down and listen to what your heart is trying to tell you. As you release what no longer fits, you create room for new energy, new insights, and new possibilities to come in. Your next step will make itself known when the time is right. And sometimes the wish we “forgot” (in my other January blog post) is the one that ends up guiding our whole year, nudging us toward something truer, deeper and more aligned ✨