Leadership Lesson in Heartbreak

We often believe our closest relationships will always feel inspired, alive, and deeply connected. That the rhythm we find with another heart will simply continue… uninterrupted.

Years ago, while working in healthcare marketing, I formed an unexpected and meaningful friendship with a thoracic surgeon.

We shared a mutual love for long trail runs, intense speed workouts, and wide-ranging conversations about life, philosophy, and powerful perspectives. It was one of those connections that felt energizing and easy.

And then… it changed.

My heart hurt more than I expected. Not in resentment. Just in the quiet ache of noticing that something once close had drifted.

The same happened with dear friends whose lives unfolded in new directions, carrying them into different worlds. What remained was space where connection once lived.

This is where the tension lives — the place between what was and what is.

Let’s Unpack It! 💼

Below the line, we often respond with grasping, self-doubt, or the need to chase what’s fading. We question our worth or hold tighter than the moment is asking for.

The ego whispers fear: You’re losing something you love.

But living from above the line invites us to allow… and trust. To recognize the sacred ebb and flow of human connection. To honor the evolution that not every shift is a rejection.

The lesson is not to harden. Nor is it to abandon ourselves trying to preserve what no longer fits. The invitation is to know thyself — to remain rooted in your worth, free from chasing or sacrificing your truth.

This is where the real work lives.

In leadership, co-parenting, and healing, we often encounter this same moment — when control loosens, dynamics change, and what once felt certain begins to feel unfamiliar.

Below the line, the ego tightens its grip. We chase clarity, force connection, or internalize the change as rejection.

But above the line, powerful perspective reminds us that not all change is loss. Some change is sacred realignment.

Strong leaders know when to release rather than cling.

Conscious co-parents recognize that a relationship must evolve for the greater good of the child.

And in healing, we learn that letting go is an act of self-respect.

There is grace in understanding the seasons of connection. Wisdom in allowing the ebb and flow. And profound peace in trusting that what is meant to walk beside you will do so willingly — not by force.

From above the line, we stop gripping and start guiding.

We stop chasing and start choosing.

We stop fearing change and start revering it.