This is  For the woman grieving her timeline, her past, or what “should have been or the life she thought she’d be living by now.

Maybe it was the career path that stalled.
Maybe it was the relationship that ended, shifted, or never even began.
Maybe it was the version of your life you dreamed about — the timeline you were so sure you’d follow.

If you’re carrying the weight of “what should have been,”
if you’re feeling behind, lost, or unsure where to go next —
I want to talk to you.

Let’s have a real, heart-to-heart moment, shall we?

There’s a quiet kind of grief that that doesn’t get talked about enough, a silent sorrow carried by women who mourn the ‘what ifs’; the life they envisioned, the timeline they meticulously planned, the version of their story that never quite unfolded.

It’s not loud. It doesn’t come with tears or funeral clothes.
But it lives in us — in our sighs, our silence, and those long moments of staring into space wondering,
“How did I get here?”

It’s the grief for a life that didn’t happen.
The plan that unraveled.
The dream that quietly faded.
The version of you that never fully came to be.

That moment when life snatches the map right out of your hands, leaving you staring at a landscape you never anticipated? 🙋‍♀️ Trust me, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, and I’ve walked alongside countless incredible women who have faced that very same blank page where their perfectly plotted future used to be.

Maybe you’re standing at the edge of a future you didn’t plan for.
The milestones you thought you’d hit by now… didn’t happen.
The path you thought you’d be on… vanished.
And you’re left wondering where you went wrong.

But here’s the truth I need you to hear:

You didn’t do anything wrong.
You’re not behind.
And you’re definitely not alone.

And lately, within the safe spaces I share with women navigating the beautiful mess of life’s unexpected twists, I witness something truly powerful, a raw, fierce courage beginning to bloom. The unwavering determination to chart a new course, even when the familiar landmarks have vanished and they are navigating by sheer inner strength.

We’ve all worn the mask.

The brave face. The “I’m fine.” The “I’ve got this.”
We’ve been taught to hold it all together — to not be a burden, to keep going, to smile and stay strong.

But strength doesn’t always look like pretending everything’s okay.

Sometimes, strength looks like saying:

“I’m grieving what I hoped for.”
“I don’t have it all figured out.”
“But I’m still here. And I’m willing to take the next step.”

This is when we finally grant ourselves permission to breathe, the authentic self emerges, vulnerable, yes, perhaps a little lost, but undeniably resilient.

Just the other day, a woman I deeply admire said to me: “What if the thing I’ve been fighting for… just isn’t meant to be anymore?” Her voice was steady, but I could feel the sadness beneath it.

And I get it. That question is so real.

Because when we lose what we thought life would look like, we also lose the version of ourselves we were building for that life.

It leaves a void. It makes us question everything. And yet — it also opens the door to something new.

But this is what keeps resonating within me, the gentle yet firm hand I want to extend to you today: this journey you are on, right now, in all its unplanned glory, it profoundly matters. Every single step you take holds weight and significance.

Your story didn’t end just because the plot changed.
The detours don’t erase your worth.

You are not broken.
You are not too late.
You are becoming.

Every step you take now — every choice, every breath, every tear — is building something beautiful, even if you can’t see it yet.

We’re often sold this narrative of life as a neat, linear progression, graduate, career, relationship, family, milestones neatly ticked off a pre-ordained list. And when life throws its inevitable curveball, a sudden change, a painful loss, a dream deferred, it can feel like we’ve derailed, like we’re somehow ‘behind.’

We can get caught in the trap of ‘what ifs,’ replaying past decisions, searching for the phantom fork in the road where everything went ‘wrong.’ What if that straight line we envisioned was never truly real? What if life is less a predictable highway and more a winding, breathtaking path, full of unexpected vistas and hidden treasures we would have missed on our original route?

Navigating this uncharted territory is about acknowledging those very real feelings and then, with a deep breath, asking yourself: “Okay, what now? What strength do I have within me to take the next step?”

Here’s where I invite you to begin:

💛 Notice the Glimmers

Even when the big plan feels shattered — what small moments of light still find you?
The quiet cup of tea.
A random belly laugh.
A new conversation that stirs something in your spirit.
These are not distractions — they are breadcrumbs leading you back to yourself.

💛 Listen to Your Inner Voice

That quiet nudge inside?
The one that whispers what feels right, even when it doesn’t make sense on paper?
That’s your truest guide.
You may not know the full route, but trust the step that’s calling you now.

💛 Build Resilience, Brick by Brick

You’re stronger than you think — not because you’ve avoided pain,
but because you’ve lived through it.
Every detour has taught you something.
Every “no” has prepared you for a “yes” that aligns with who you truly are.

💛 Find Your People

You weren’t meant to walk this path alone.
There are women — just like you — navigating their own messy, beautiful becoming.
Find them. Lean in. Let yourself be supported.

💛 Question the “Shoulds”

That mental checklist of how your life should look by now?
Who wrote it? And why does it get to be the final word?

Release it. Rewrite it.
Decide what matters to you now.

Friend, You are not too far gone.
You are not too late to start over.
You are not disqualified from joy, love, peace, or purpose.

You are allowed to change the plan.
You are allowed to grieve what was.
And you are allowed to believe in what could still be.

Because this life — the one you’re in right now — still has so much waiting for you.

The dream didn’t die.
It just asked for a different route.
And maybe, just maybe… this version will be even more sacred than the one you imagined.

Stop allowing the ghost of that vanished map to obscure the vibrant landscape unfolding before you. This journey, the one you are living right now, demands your energy, your curiosity, and your unwavering belief in your own innate ability to not just survive, but to thrive.

The past doesn’t get to define the entirety of your story. The detours don’t invalidate your worth. You are not behind. You are not lost.

You are, in this very moment, becoming.

And I promise you,

This life?

This imperfect, unfolding, still-growing life?

It is absolutely worth fighting for.

With you,

Lydia,