When Goodbyes Hit Different

The farewells aren’t slowing down, and they’re hitting harder than before.

Not all goodbyes feel the same

For many purpose-driven leaders, the connection to your work ran deep.
It wasn’t just a job. It was a calling. A cause. A commitment.

And yet, in the past few months, many of you have left roles you didn’t plan to leave.
Not to take a new opportunity, but because the structure changed, the funding ran out, or the system shifted underneath you.

You didn’t get to choose the timing.
You didn’t get the ending you hoped for.
And now you’re trying to make sense of what just happened while still holding the desire to contribute.

The emotional toll is real

You’ve written the handover.
You’ve shown up for the farewell call.
You’ve watched the time run out, knowing there’s more you wanted to give.

And now what?

For many, this isn’t just the end of a role.
It’s a quiet grief for the identity that came with it.
For the people. The work. The mission.
The belief that this was the way you were making a difference.

And it’s hard to name that. Because everything moved so fast.
And because the cause still matters. The injustice is still there.
But now you’re standing outside the system you helped carry.

Why these goodbyes feel different

When someone leaves on their own terms, there’s often space for closure.
A celebration. A clean handover. A next step.

But right now, there are too many farewells at once.
Even those who made a deep impact can slip under the radar, not because they didn’t matter, but because there’s simply too much to hold. 

Peers are doing their best.
But many are burnt out too. And when everyone’s leaving, no one really gets to feel sent off properly.

What still makes a difference

Small gestures matter.
A quick message. A personal thank you. A note that says: I noticed what you brought.

And when it comes from a leader not a system, but a person, it can ground someone who’s quietly drifting.

• You weren’t just a role. You were part of the fabric.
• Your contribution shaped something here.

These words don’t fix the system.
But they remind people that they were seen. That their time here mattered.

And if that moment never came, it’s still worth naming

Not everything needs to be said out loud to be felt deeply.
Sometimes, you close the loop by witnessing yourself.
By pausing long enough to say:

• I gave something here. It cost me something. And it shaped me too.

This is what helps you move forward, not with certainty but with self-trust.

This week’s Leadership Reflection Journal Page This page is for leaders navigating a messy, unresolved ending who are still holding care for the work, even after leaving the role. Use it to acknowledge what you gave, what you’re taking with you, and what still wants expression, even if it looks different now. Click here to download your editable journal page

With you as you navigate what's next,  Linda Founder of Touching Distance