Holding Space: How to Help Others Through Difficult Seasons

 During this heartfelt solo episode, I explore the tender and universal experience of supporting others through life’s hardest seasons – be it illness, grief, heartbreak, or big life transitions. I open up about my own journey walking beside loved ones, from witnessing my mum care for my dad, to the ripple effects it’s had on me, my friendships, and my own sense of how to “show up” for the people I care about.

I reflect on those moments when we feel lost in knowing how to help, wondering if what we’re doing is enough, and navigating the truth that, while we can’t take away someone’s pain, we can help them hold it. I share stories of grief, the complexity of being both a supporter and needing support ourselves, and some of the difficult conversations that come with walking this path—whether it’s giving space, checking in gently, or speaking truth where responsibility is needed.

We also talk about the importance of not trying to do this perfectly, of letting go of the idea that we need to be the strong one, the wise oracle, or the “perfect” friend/daughter/partner. I extend an invitation to acknowledge the deep unconditional love that leads us to care, and the vital need to turn that compassion inward as well.

There’s room here for messiness—for presence over perfection, for asking those you’re supporting what they actually need (and letting them guide that day by day), and for validating your own emotions as you walk alongside. I share how the smallest gestures can matter most—like a text just to say you’re there—and that your presence, even in quiet ways, is enough.

If you’re someone holding space for a loved one through a difficult season, or if you’re feeling the aftershocks of having done so, this conversation is an invitation to exhale, to feel less alone, and to allow a little gentleness and lightness in, even in the hardest of times. Remember: there’s no rulebook for this, but we don’t have to do it alone.

If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear these words. And if you need a community that gets it, you’re always welcome to join us in the Seeking Simplicity community—where we’re all just walking each other home. With love, Louise.