You Are Not Alone: A Full-Circle Moment

This week, I had the absolute honour of speaking with Catherine Farquharson as part of her Alchemy of Change Masterclass.

And as I sat there, sharing my story, I felt it in my bones… this was a full-circle moment.

Because over the past ten years, I’ve walked through some of the deepest, messiest, most transformative parts of my life. And I didn’t walk alone. I’ve had the privilege of working with the most courageous, wise, heart-led women - coaches, mentors, teachers, sisters. Women who reminded me who I was when I’d forgotten. Women who held me when I couldn’t hold myself.

And I mean this deeply: I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.

I still remember what it felt like before all of that - when I was in the thick of my depression. On the outside, my life looked full. I had a beautiful family. A supportive, loving husband, amazing kids, family, friends. A life that, to most people, looked “good.”

But on the inside, I felt completely alone.

I didn’t recognize myself anymore. I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I just knew I felt numb. Disconnected. Like I was slowly disappearing from my own life.

Now, looking back, I can see that it wasn’t the end. It was the beginning.

The panic attacks, the depression, the breakdown cracked me open. It showed me where I was living in old stories. Where I’d been measuring my worth by how much I could give, how much I could hold, how “together” I could appear.

That collapse was the moment I began to shed it all - the people-pleasing, the perfectionism, the belief that my needs didn’t matter.

And on that path of shedding and remembering, I found women - mentors and guides, who helped me rebuild. Who reflected back to me the strength, softness, and wisdom I’d forgotten I had.

One of those women was Catherine.

I first met her on a spiritual retreat in Costa Rica hosted by 2 other amazing women - Catherine Cowan and Catie Fenn. This retreat that changed everything. The energy, the women, the conversations - it was like being surrounded by soul mirrors. And it wasn’t a one-time thing. I went back 2 years later. Because I knew I was supposed to be there. Each time, the experience was rich with meaning and connection. And each time, I left with something I didn’t know I needed as well as beautiful friendships and connections.

So to sit beside Catherine in this Masterclass, not as the woman I was back then, but as the version of me who now guides others - it was humbling. And deeply meaningful.

But here’s what I want you to know if you’re reading this:

If you’re in the depths of it. If your heart feels heavy and your soul feels tired. If everyone around you thinks you’re “fine” but inside, you feel like you’re slowly fading.

You are not alone.

Even if it feels like you are.

There are women who have been there. Women who are there. And women who will walk beside you if you let them.

That’s the point of this post. It’s not about me, it’s about you.

You don’t have to go it alone. You’re allowed to fall apart. You’re allowed to ask for support. You’re allowed to begin again, without shame or apology.

We’re not meant to do this life in isolation. We’re meant to come together. To hold each other through the messy middle. To witness, to remind, to walk each other home.

Mel x

P.S. If this spoke to you…I’m hosting a 4-part Soul Circle Series starting September called From Burnout to Balance.

It’s for the woman who’s been holding it all together but feels like something inside her is starting to unravel.It’s for the woman who’s ready to stop doing it all alone.

We’ll gather once a month for honest conversation, reflection, and simple practices to help you reconnect with yourself again.

The first circle begins in September, and you’re so welcome to join us.You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to show up.

✨ Learn more here → https://www.melaniegrimerhn.com/burnout-to-balance