There was a time when I believed I knew exactly what my future would be.
It started with a goal and a plan that I held onto with everything I had.
I spent years gaining education, receiving mentorship, and doing hours of deep reflection to prepare myself for that path.
Then came the injury the extended recovery.
Then the sudden shuttering of my graduate program.
Then the deep, unrelenting, sadness as I realized the opportunity I had built my life around was slipping away.
The Grief No One Sees
It took me a while to understand what I was feeling: grief.
Not the kind of grief people talk about – it wasn’t about the death of a loved one.
But something in me died when the future I imagined was no longer an option.
And I didn’t know how to mourn something that never got to happen.
Over time, I realized I hadn’t just lost a plan—
I’d lost a version of myself.
That kind of grief deserves attention.
What Came Next
I began listening to myself—not to fix or push forward, but just to be present.
To notice.
To observe.
To reflect.
And it occurred to me that others might need help doing the same.
What I Do Now
Today, I hold space for people who are grieving futures they didn’t get to live.
I know what it’s like to feel left behind by your own dreams.
And I believe that grief deserves compassion, not silence.
