How to Practice Saying Goodbye

Not all goodbyes are created equal.

Sometimes, a goodbye is as uncomplicated as pulling out of the Wawa parking lot after a pit stop. Easy, breezy, mac-n-cheesy.

Sometimes, a goodbye comes barreling in like the Big Bad Wolf—knocking down the door, delivering a vicious bite, and leaving you dizzy and reeling. Why, God, why?

And sometimes, our goodbyes are bittersweet reminders of Time’s steady march: happy tears at weddings, graduations, or birthdays. (Oh Time, must we really say goodbye to kindergarten so quickly?)

The truth is this: as Well-Seasoned Women, we’re on a lifelong quest to flow with all of Life’s seasonings—saying Goodbye, Hello, Hanging On, Letting Go—freely and fully. Because every goodbye is also a quiet invitation to say YES to Life itself.

So let’s talk about how to practice.

Because goodbye is a skill. And like sailing in calm seas or stormy weather, we need to practice in all conditions.

Here are three practical ways to build your goodbye muscle:

Get Curious

Ask yourself: Am I reacting in proportion to the goodbye in front of me?

• Overreacting to a simple goodbye? Maybe you just need more sleep, a good meal, a day off, or to turn down the volume on stress.

• Underreacting to a big goodbye? If someone you love is dying, or your marriage is unraveling, and you’re simply going through the motions… pause. That might be a sign you’re protecting yourself from the weight of it all.

Curiosity isn’t about judgment. It’s about noticing. It’s a gentle check-in: What do I really need right now?

Be Good to Yourself (and Others)

Goodbyes can feel like a tangle of emotions: sadness, anger, numbness, tenderness, gratitude. Let them all be there.

• Breathe. Slow, steady breaths signal safety to your body.

• Tend to your body as a way of tending to your soul. Sleep. Move. Eat real food.

• Cry, rage, repeat. Don’t assume it’s one-and-done. Grief moves like a tango—two steps forward, one step back.

• Channel anger wisely. It’s energy. Give it a safe place to move, instead of letting it fester.

This is not weakness—it’s honoring your wiring as a human being built for both loss and love.

Remember the Cycle

Saying goodbye is never just about endings. It’s about participating in the Life–Death–Life cycle.

Think of autumn’s falling leaves. Winter’s hush beneath the snow. Death and rebirth are written into the very fabric of the natural world.

Every goodbye is a death of a certain kind, yes—but it’s also a doorway. It clears space for something new to grow.

Goodbyes can break our hearts wide open, but they can also transform us into women of deeper grit, compassion, and wisdom.

A Story from My Own Life

For years, our boxer Dexter went into a deep depression whenever the suitcases came out for our annual beach trip. He wouldn’t eat. He sulked, tail down, the whole time we were gone. Saying goodbye was agony—for him and for us.

When Dexter crossed the Rainbow Bridge, we later adopted Pepper, our lab mix.

Pepper? She barely blinked at the suitcases. “Y’all leaving? Cool. What’s for dinner?”

Turns out, there’s a lesson there: we’re all wired differently when it comes to goodbye. Some of us feel it to the marrow. Others let it pass with ease. Neither is “right”—it’s just how we’re built.

And that’s why it’s never wise to say to someone in grief, “I know how you feel.” Because the truth is—you don’t. None of us experiences goodbye in exactly the same way.

Why Practice Goodbye at All?

Because change is inevitable. And every authentic goodbye is braided with change and often heartbreak.

But here’s the secret:

• Sometimes goodbye is bone-scorching hard.

• Sometimes it feels like pure loss.

• But when we practice staying with it—when we don’t rush past it—we discover transformation tucked inside.

This is the ancient pattern of Life–Death–Rebirth. Of straw being spun into gold. Of water being turned into wine.

The bigger the goodbye, the bigger the capacity for transformation.

So, are you ready?

Not to perfect it. Not to make it tidy. But to practice. To say YES to the messy, awkward, human work of goodbye.

Because every goodbye holds mystery, power, and the possibility of unexpected beauty. And as Well-Seasoned Women, that’s exactly the kind of practical magic we’re here for.

✨ #PracticeMakesChange ✨