When Life Breaks You Open: How My Sister’s Death Became the Catalyst for My Purpose

Written By Kathryn Brown

There are moments in life that divide time in two — before and after. For me, that moment came when my sister was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer. Before that, life was mostly normal. We were busy, distracted, doing all the usual things — work, kids, routines. Cancer wasn’t part of our world. Not yet. But a few months before her diagnosis, I felt something coming. I couldn’t name it, but it felt like a wall of energy, a tsunami inching closer. My intuition knew before my mind did: life was about to change forever. Watching someone you love fade, fighting for their life while you stand helplessly beside them, is an experience that shakes every cell of your being. It cracks you open in ways words can’t explain. And when she passed, a part of me went with her — but another part of me was born.  Because when you stand that close to death, you can’t help but look at life differently.

Tameka in Blue. Loved then & loved now.

Searching for meaning in the mess

After her diagnosis, I couldn’t stop asking questions. Where will she go? What happens when we all die? “She’ll go to heaven” didn’t feel like enough for me — I needed something deeper, something that resonated in my bones. So I turned inward. I turned to yoga — not the kind you do on a mat, but the ancient philosophy behind it. I wanted to understand life, death, and everything in between. I didn’t begin yoga teacher training because I wanted to teach. I did it because I needed answers. I needed to find peace in the chaos, and yoga offered a way — not through dogma or rules, but through awareness, stillness, and truth. It became my path back to life. Through that journey, I discovered something profound: death is as natural as birth. It’s not the opposite of life — it’s part of it. And when we truly understand that, we start to live differently.

The gift hidden in the grief

Losing my sister stripped away the noise. The petty worries, the endless striving, the comparison, the waiting for “someday.” Because someday isn’t promised to any of us. When you lose someone too soon, you realise how fragile it all is — how precious this one wild and unpredictable life really is. Every sunrise, every hug, every laugh with your kids — none of it is guaranteed. And once you see that, you can’t unsee it. That awareness changed me. It softened me. It also sharpened my focus.  I became intentional with my time, my energy, my relationships. I stopped wanting to live someone else’s version of a “good life” and started asking: What makes me feel most alive? What is my soul here to do? In yogic philosophy, there’s a word for this — Dharma. It means your purpose. Your reason for being. The unique work your soul came here to do. We all have one. But most of us forget. Life gets loud. We get caught up in survival mode, in expectations, in busyness. Sometimes it takes heartbreak to remember.

Living on purpose

My sister’s passing was the most painful experience of my life, but it also became the doorway to my awakening. It reminded me that life isn’t about waiting for things to happen — it’s about consciously creating it. When we live in alignment with our Dharma — our truth, our gifts, our soul’s calling — life flows differently. We feel lighter, more connected, more alive. The small stuff doesn’t matter as much. We stop chasing and start creating. That’s what inspired me to create my Sacred Vision Workshop — a space to reconnect with your purpose and remember who you are beneath all the noise. It’s not just a “vision board” class; it’s a soul reset. A chance to pause, breathe, and ask yourself: What do I really want my life to feel like this year? Because once you have clarity, everything changes. You stop drifting and start directing. You start to design a life that lights you up from the inside out — not someday, but now.

Sacred Vision 2026: Unlock the Year of Your Dreams

A new year, a new beginning

Each January, I offer this workshop once a year — in person at Stretch Yoga, Holland Park, and also online. It’s a sacred container where we reconnect to that spark within us — the part that knows what we’re here for, even if we’ve forgotten .It’s not about resolutions or “fixing” yourself. It’s about remembering what matters. It’s about living your Dharma. And it’s about saying yes to your one precious life — fully, intentionally, beautifully. So if you’re ready to begin the new year with clarity, grounded purpose, and a renewed sense of energy — come join me. Because sometimes it takes a heartbreak to break you open. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need to find your way home.

Sacred Vision Workshop

Friday 3rd January – Stretch Yoga, Holland Park (and online) A soul-led vision board experience to reconnect with your purpose and create a life you love.

Book Here

About the Author

Kathryn Brown is a Brisbane-based yoga teacher, mother of three, and founder of Beautifully Abundant, a movement devoted to helping mothers heal limiting beliefs, reconnect with their dreams, and raise children with an abundance mindset. Through retreats, workshops, and digital resources, she helps women find peace, purpose, and possibility in every season of motherhood.