Episode 11: Anticipating the New Year — A Year Without You In It

The days between Christmas and New Year’s can feel strangely heavy—quiet, suspended, and emotionally charged. In this episode, Lauren speaks to the often unspoken fear that surfaces as the calendar prepares to turn: How do I step into a year that doesn’t include someone essential?

Drawing from her own experience on New Year’s Eve 2019, Lauren explores the grief that can arise in this liminal stretch of time—the tension between wanting time to move forward and wanting it to stop entirely. This episode is a gentle companion for anyone who feels unready, resistant, or overwhelmed by the idea of a “new beginning” after loss.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why the New Year can feel especially painful and alienating when you’re grieving
• The quiet fear of leaving behind the last year your person was part of
• How cultural pressure around optimism and resolutions can clash with grief
• Letting go of the idea of a “good year” and embracing softer language—a survivable year, a steadier year
• Ways love continues, even as loss changes form
• Simple, supportive ways to care for yourself during this transition
• Naming the contradictions of grief—holding joy and sorrow at the same time
• A gentle question to help you enter the New Year with more support and less pressure

This episode is not about fixing grief, rushing healing, or forcing hope. It’s about honoring where you actually are—and allowing yourself to cross into the New Year in a way that feels honest, protective, and humane.

✨ You don’t have to want the year.
You don’t have to be ready.
You just have to enter it—one step at a time.

🎧 Next episode: New Year’s Resolutions — Just Trying to Survive
We’ll talk about what it really means to approach a new year while grieving, and how to set intentions that honor your reality—not the version of you the world expects.

Thank you for being here.

To work with Lauren:
Lauren offers grief coaching for widows navigating life after loss, including 1:1 support and group programs. You can learn more at www.laurenlentz.com

To connect with Lauren:
Connect with Lauren on Instagram at @imsorrywerefriends for ongoing support, reflections, and community.