Hello,
Beautiful.
Thank you for being here with me right now.
Close your eyes and let yourself find the rhythm of your breath,
Feeling its cadence slowly work through your body,
In and out,
Slowing you down and bringing you right here.
There are moments in midlife when memories arrive unexpectedly.
A photograph,
A song,
A scent in the air.
And suddenly you remember the woman you once were.
Her energy,
Her dreams,
Her body,
Her endless sense of time ahead.
And something inside of you may ache.
Not because your life is wrong,
Not because you regret the path,
But because something has changed.
And change,
Even when natural,
Can carry a quiet grief.
Take a slow breath in and then exhale gently.
Let yourself be here,
Right in the truth of this present moment.
Grief does not only come when we lose people.
It comes sometimes when we realize a chapter has ended.
When youth gives way to wisdom.
When possibilities narrow into realities live.
And even beautiful lives hold tender goodbyes.
Breathe softly now and let your shoulders drop.
Let your body feel supported.
It's okay if you miss the woman you used to be.
She carried you here.
She loved fiercely.
She tried bravely.
She learned through mistakes.
And she did the best she could with what she knew at the time.
Imagine now that your younger self is sitting beside you.
See her clearly.
Her laughter,
Her uncertainty,
Her hope,
Her body.
Notice what you feel as you look at her.
And instead of wishing you could return,
Simply thank her.
Thank her for the courage,
For her dreams,
For the risks she took that built the life you stand in right now.
You are not leaving her behind.
She lives within you still.
But now a new woman is stepping forward.
A woman who knows more.
Who has loved deeply.
Who has survived heartbreak,
Joy,
Disappointment,
And triumph.
A woman who carries wisdom earned.
Through living.
Grief softens when we stop resisting change.
And begin honoring the journey.
Let your breath move gently now.
Inhale gratitude.
And exhale release.
You are allowed to mourn what is past.
And you are allowed to welcome what is unfolding right now.
Both can live in the same heart.
Place your hand over your heart.
And feel its steady rhythm.
This woman you are now is worthy of the same love you give to the younger version of you.
She deserves compassion and patience and understanding.
Life is simply moving forward.
And each version of you has brought you closer to the woman resting here right now.
Let your younger self stand.
See her smiling softly at you.
Knowing you will carry her courage forward.
And then watch as she walks gently into the past.
Honor.
Now return your attention to your breath.
To the life in you right now.
The seasons ahead hold new freedoms.
New clarity.
New ways of being that were once impossible.
Rest here just a moment longer.
And let gratitude settle where grief once sat.
Namaste.
Beautiful.
