#4 He Said “I’m moving out”

Those three words landed like a dagger through my heart.
My youngest son recently told me he was moving out to buy a house with his lovely girlfriend.
In that moment, I wasn't hearing...
"We've worked hard, saved a deposit and we're excited to build our future together."
I was hearing...
"You don't need me anymore."
Of course, that's not what he meant.
He's doing exactly what every parent hopes their child will do, and I couldn't be prouder.
But it did make me reflect on something.
Many women experience menopause at the same time as other significant life changes. Children becoming independent. Parents needing more support. Careers evolving. Our own sense of identity quietly shifting.
Perhaps that's why we sometimes hear the emotion before we hear the message.
And it reminded me of something I've learnt throughout my HR career.
In the workplace, leaders often focus on what they intended to say.
The other person remembers how it made them feel.
That's why great leadership isn't just about communicating clearly.
It's about being curious enough to ask...
"How did that land with you?"
Because the gap between intent and impact is where so many misunderstandings begin.
So in the end...
My son isn't leaving me - he's beginning his new chapter.
And perhaps the same is true of many of life's biggest transitions.
Just something I've been thinking about this week
Julie 💛