Permission to Be Where You Are - Learning To Embrace All Parts Of The Self With Compassion

In this episode, I'm sharing from a place of not having everything neatly figured out. As I sat down to record, I realized I didn't have a clear topic or message ready. Instead, what felt most honest was to speak from the blankness, the inwardness, and the depth of grief that has been present for me this week.

I reflect on the pressure I've felt to turn grief into a beautiful transformation story. There is a part of me that wants to make meaning from loss, to become a bright guiding light, and to wrap the experience in hope. But grief does not always work that way. Sometimes it does not need a silver lining. Sometimes it simply needs to be what it is.

I also share a vivid dream I had about my dad, where I was driving with him and kept passing his car because I wanted more time together. Waking from that dream brought both joy and sadness, which is one of the hardest parts of grief to explain. It can feel beautiful to visit the memories, and devastating to return to the reality that new memories will not be created in the same way.

This episode explores the non-linear nature of healing. Grief can spiral back to places you thought you had already moved through, whether that looks like crying in a restaurant, feeling overwhelmed by memories, or comparing your grief to someone else's. None of it means you are doing it wrong.

This is an invitation to release the timelines, rules, and judgments around grief. However your grief is expressing itself, it is allowed. You do not have to rush yourself into meaning, clarity, or acceptance before you are ready. You can simply be here, exactly as you are.

This episode is for you if:

• You're feeling lost in your grief and aren't sure what to make of it
• You're going through a significant transformation and trying to make sense of it all
• You're exploring parts of yourself and learning to be more self-compassionate
• You feel pressure to be at a certain milestone and looking for permission to just be
• You're starting over and feeling self-conscious about where you're at

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
• Download this FREE audio experience to invite more calm and peace into your life and reconnect with your inner wisdom
• Learn how to shift the energy of your day using a morning ritual
• Read this essay about losing my dad and being catapulted into the unknown

Related Episodes:

• Connection In The Loudest Places - Exploring The Complexity Of Our Emotional Landscape While Grieving
• Letting It Be For You: Learning To Live In The Unknown With Self-Compassion
• Clarity Over Certainty - Integrating Grief And Moving Forward With Intention Without Needing To See The Entire Path
• 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.