The Grief of Youth

Welcome back to my podcast, Espresso with Coops.Season 3, baby!If you’ve listened to previous seasons, you’ll know I’ve often touched on grief, sometimes directly, sometimes at the edges. This season, I wanted to slow it down and sit with it properly.Because grief doesn’t just arrive through bereavement. It shows up in break-ups, in diagnoses, in identity shifts, in the losses we don’t always name — and I hear this again and again from my clients. Often, it’s only when a light is gently shone on it that people realise this is grief.So in Season 3, I’m getting a little closer. I’ll be sharing some of my own experiences of grief and loss and holding space for the many ways it can live in our bodies, relationships, and lives.The format remains the same—short, honest, and gentle. My hope is that each episode offers you something to recognise yourself in. If it does, you’re welcome to share it with someone who might need it, too.Episode 15: The Grief of YouthI have been really struggling with a bad cold and cough for the last few weeks. I hope you appreciate my tone 🤣.We don’t just grieve people. We can grieve versions of ourselves. I think this is more nuanced than we give ourselves credit for, given the societal and cultural expectations placed on women. I don’t have time to delve into all aspects of this, but as a woman in midlife, I have reflected on it a lot. This is a mixed bag that touches on ageing, identity, dating double standards, and the quiet compassion that comes when you finally step outside the cultural script. In this episode, I explore the grief of youth: not because I want to go back, but because I wish I had known sooner that I was already enough. 🎶 Musical snack: Strange (feat. Hillary Smith) - Kris Bowers, Hillary Smith(A classical accompaniment to sit with after listening. Not in the episode, just something to stir the soul.)👉 Take a small sip. Feel the shift. Subscribe for weekly episodes of Espresso with Coops.💬 These short sips are made to be shared, so pass it on to someone who needs it today.💛 Make sure we are connected on socials, whether Substack, Instagram or LinkedIn. Get full access to Coffee with Coops at ruthcooperdickson.substack.com/subscribe