The Grief Before Goodbye, Stop Protecting And Start Feeling

The grief before goodbye is real, and if you're feeling it weeks BEFORE college drop-off, you're not alone. If you're in that suspended, in-between time where the transition hasn't happened yet but you know it's coming, this is for you. I'm Clara Mei, a life transition coach, author of Your Life Transition Toolkit, and a mom navigating this empty nest transition right alongside you. In this video I share how I realized I was protecting myself from grief without even noticing and telling myself I was "being patient" while the graduation decorations stayed up for months, the car still said "he graduated" in window paint, and the cards went unmailed, and the small, concrete steps that helped me stop numbing and start feeling it with more compassion. You'll hear: • Why empty nest grief often hits before they leave (and why it can feel confusing or guilty) • How to recognize when you're protecting yourself from grief • What helped me move forward like mailing the cards, washing the car, taking the decorations down together as a family • How to navigate it when the timeline shifts unexpectedly TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The grief before goodbye 01:12 Why I was protecting myself from grief 03:30 What "transitory time" feels like 05:45 The moment I realized I was avoiding it 07:20 Small steps that helped me start feeling it 10:15 If you're in this in-between with me If you're in your own version of this suspended time, I hope this helps you feel seen and less alone. Join the waitlist for my book, Your Life Transition Toolkit, launching September 15th: https://claramei.com/book Learn more about coaching: https://claramei.com #emptynest #emptynesttransition #emptynestsyndrome #collegedropoff #midlifewomen #lifetransition #griefandloss About Clara Mei Hi, I'm Clara Mei, a life transition coach, author of Your Life Transition Toolkit, and founder of Clara Mei Coaching. I help women navigate the empty nest transition and other major life transitions in midlife. Learn more at claramei.com