← The collectionGrief & Loss
DISCOVERY BY DeVOL / INTERACTIVE GUIDE

The Future You Expected

Grieving plans, milestones, and possibilities that did not unfold as hoped.

Web editionOct 26, 2026Revision 2
REFLECTION01 / 22

A place to begin

You may be missing a life you expected to be living by now. This guide makes room for that loss without requiring a replacement dream.

Use any section that fits. Every activity is optional, and one section can be a complete visit. You can think quietly, write privately in your own notebook or notes app.

Discovery by DeVolAt your own pace.

Your reflections are for you. This guide has no fields for written responses. Use your own notebook or notes app if you would like to write.

THE REFERENCE SHELF

Sources you
can follow.

Educational references use .gov and .edu domains. Activities are original creative prompts.

Cornell University

Non-Death Loss and Grief ↗

Background on losses involving roles, health, and an imagined future. The exercises in this guide are original editorial activities, not a validated treatment.

fsap.cornell.edu / Checked 2026-10-26
Columbia University, Go Ask Alice!

Coping with Grief and Loss ↗

Background on different kinds of loss. This guide does not use a fixed grieving timetable.

goaskalice.columbia.edu / Checked 2026-10-26
NIH News in Health

Navigating Grief ↗

Background on individual differences, flexible coping, and seeking support.

newsinhealth.nih.gov / Checked 2026-10-26