An Invitation to Softness - When Grief Catches You By Surprise

In this episode, I'm sharing from the middle of a difficult wave of grief. After feeling like I had begun to understand grief as a companion, I was surprised by how deeply it returned and how quickly it changed the way I moved through my days.

I reflect on the pressure I sometimes place on myself to show that I am healing, moving forward, or somehow overcoming grief. But grief is not linear, and there is no finish line I need to reach. I am still getting to know this part of myself, and I am learning to meet it with more compassion instead of expectation.

This episode also explores how isolating grief can feel when the people around us instinctively want to fix what we are experiencing. Often, what I need most is not advice or a solution. I need someone willing to listen, witness what is true, and trust that my grief does not need to be repaired.

I share what it feels like to be a deep feeler in a world that does not always make room for depth, and how I am learning to let the part of me that wants to help and make everything meaningful step aside sometimes so other parts of me can speak.

Even within the heaviness, there are still moments of nourishment and connection. A long walk with Cauchy in the middle of the day reminded me that we are not productivity machines, and that the moments we remember most are often the ones where we gave ourselves permission to simply be present.

This is an invitation to softness, gentleness, and slowness. To take what you need. To honor the transitions between where you have been and where you are going. And to trust that you do not have to understand everything you are carrying in order to hold it with care.

This episode is for you if:

• You're on a grief journey and are looking for comfort and understanding in your experience
• You're in need of a reminder to be compassionate with yourself and to release the expectations you place on yourself
• You're in a season of life that requires a little more softness and gentle energy
• You're navigating a transition or are starting over and are getting to know yourself all over again
• You're trying to understand how to best support someone who is on a grief journey

Resources and Links:

• Explore The Shoreline Private Sessions to find aligned support as you navigate a significant life transition
• Sign up to receive notes from the Shoreline
• Watch my YouTube Channel to get a peek into my creative life and what I'm working on
• Use this FREE intention setting worksheet to find aligned support as you navigate a significant life transition
• Read this blog post to discover the easiest way to make your day better when life feels overwhelming
• Listen to this visualization when you want to invite more peace and calm into your life and use a somatic practice to come back to your body and the present moment

Related Episodes:

• Permission To Be Where You Are - Learning To Embrace All Parts Of The Self With Compassion
• Connection In The Loudest Places - Exploring The Complexity Of Our Emotional Landscape While Grieving
• Listening For What Wants To Emerge - Letting Go Of Old Timelines And Honoring Where You're At Right Now
• When Life Pulls You Toward A New Shore - Beginning Again And Exploring The In-Between Space After An Unexpected Life Transition

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Kim Kogane is a writer and intuitive guide helping you navigate the tender in-between seasons of life. She lives in Seattle, Washington, with her dog Cauchy and three cats. Learn more about Kim.