You’re Not Broken—You’re Grieving

“I used to be the strong one. The reliable one. The one who kept it all together.”

And now?

Now you stare at the dishes piling in the sink.
You forget what day it is.
You snap at people you love, cry over things you never used to, and feel like a stranger in your own life.

And if you’ve been thinking, “I don’t even recognize myself anymore,” I want you to know:
**You’re not broken. You’re grieving.

Grief Isn’t Just Emotional—It’s Identity-Shaking

When we think of grief, we usually think of sadness. Tears. Maybe anger.
But one of the most jarring parts of grief? The way it messes with your sense of self.

You’re not just mourning the person you lost.
You’re mourning the version of you who existed in a world where they were still here.

The routines you shared.

The roles you played.
The dreams you had.
All of it gets scrambled.

So of course you feel lost.
Of course you feel like you’re just going through the motions.

This version of you isn’t “less than.” She’s just grieving.

3 Reasons You Don’t Feel Like “You” Right Now

Let’s name a few things out loud—because when you understand what’s happening, you can start to make sense of why you feel so… off.

1. Your brain and body are literally in survival mode.

Grief affects your nervous system. Your memory, focus, and energy levels can all drop because your body is using everything it’s got just to process what happened.

You’re not lazy.
You’re not failing.
You’re exhausted—because grief is work.

2. Your inner world doesn’t match your outer world anymore.

You might be back at work, picking up groceries, helping the kids with homework…
but inside, it feels like everything’s changed.

You’re pretending to be the “old you” just to get through the day. But the old you isn’t there in the same way anymore—and that’s a loss too.

3. You don’t know who you’re becoming yet.

This one’s big.

Grief has a way of wiping the slate clean. You don’t want to go back—but you’re also not sure how to move forward. That in-between place? That identity gap? It’s disorienting.

So What Now?

Let’s be really clear:
Healing doesn’t mean “getting back to who you were before.”
It means remembering who you are, redefining what matters, and rebuilding a life that fits the you of today.

That’s not a quick fix.
That’s a journey.

And you don’t have to do it alone.

Start by Asking Yourself These 3 Gentle Questions:

These aren’t here to fix anything—just to start softening the fog:

1. What part of me still feels true, even now?
   (It might be your compassion. Your creativity. Your faith. Start small.)

2. Where am I pretending the most right now?
   (Sometimes we don’t realize how much we’re performing until we pause.)

3. What might it look like to be honest about how I’m really doing?
   (With a friend. With yourself. With a coach. Anywhere.)

You don’t need to answer them perfectly. You just need to start noticing.

You Deserve to Feel Like You Again—Even If It’s a New Version

You’re not crazy for feeling disconnected.

You’re not weak for not “bouncing back.”
You’re not broken for not knowing who you are anymore.

You are grieving—and grief changes things.

But grief doesn’t get the final word.
There’s still a you underneath the pain.
And that version of you? She deserves to be seen. Held. Supported.

💬 Ready to start reconnecting with yourself?

Let’s talk.

My Pathway to Healing call is a safe, no-pressure space where we gently explore what’s changed, what matters now, and what’s possible next.

👉Book your Pathway to Healing Call
This is your invitation to stop pretending—and start healing.

You’re not broken. You’re becoming.
And I’d be honored to walk with you.

And if you’re not ready for a call, that’s okay too. You can start small by downloading my free First Steps in Healing Grief Workbook. It will help walk you through the first steps you can take in your own healing journey.

Download here: First Steps in Healing Grief Workbook