Podcast

In all of us, there is the ability to make a difference in someone else's life. Whether it be a simple text to reach out to a friend who is grieving, or sharing a coffee and good conversation to show someone you're there for them… you're listening. No matter the gesture, the impact can be great. On this one-year anniversary of the Journey to Grateful podcast, we celebrate making an impact in the lives of others and finding inspiration to do so all around us. 

When I strip away all the sorrow, loneliness, tears, and frustration associated with loss and grief, I find at its core consists the delicate balance of two things: Looking Back & Moving Forward. As you enter into grief life becomes overwhelming as you attempt to navigate this new piece of your life's puzzle. The thought of moving forward is simply not possible. There will come a time when you become aware that you need to consider making strides to take steps forward. Understand those memories, that history you are grasping onto so dearly, needs to come along, because there's a place for it all in the months and years ahead. In this episode, I reveal why I know I must move forward.

In this episode, I welcome my new guest, Katty Douraghy, author of The Butterfly Years: A Journey Through Grief Toward Hope. In this book, Katty details her personal journey through grief, her mission to demystify grief and create a space where people can talk about loss without feeling judged or rushed. In our conversation, we touch upon hope, gratitude, self-help, and saying Yes to life. Join me and Katty as we inspire and empower everyone on their journey with grief.

I'm joined in this episode by my friend, Angela Batista, owner of Adventures by Angela, but more importantly, a survivor of grief. Angela and I discuss experiencing loss at a pivotal point in her life and how she and her family have been shaped by the experience. We dive into the many seasons of life and embrace the wonderful experiences that can be found there. Join us as we discuss, discover, share, and experience the Seasons of Life.

There comes a time when you have to consider if you are moving forward with your grief. In this episode, I ask the question and examine a few ways I have been moving forward. However, I've discovered over the past weeks I have work to do. Strides I need to make to truly move forward and I find that my late wife is a source of inspiration with this goal. Listen to see how she has inspired me to take another step to move forward.

Throughout your grief journey, you will find there are several details of grief that will affect you differently as time moves on. Because of this, your path through grief will change, never looking like anyone else's experience, however, both paths can still have similarities. There is truly no right way to grieve, nor is there a proper path to follow. Instead, there are choices to be made, guidance to be shared, which can provide you with a better experience or simply a better understanding of grief overall. In this episode, I discuss four ways to begin your journey with grief and the details you should consider when walking your own path. 

With grief comes envy. It's an unspoken side effect of loss which I believe is common, but not often mentioned. It approaches your everyday life as grief does, however with a much different result. It can be an additional internal fight with yourself, making you feel a bit selfish or possibly angry for the many lives around you moving on while you sit alone on the sidelines. I discuss how long envy may stay and try to find ways to move on from envy toward a more grateful life.

Supporting someone through their loss journey can be a challenging mission. Feeling helpless to make a difference is a common side-effect, but you need to understand, just being there is helpful enough. In this episode, we examine my experiences with those who've helped my family and me in common and unique ways. You don't have to feel like there's nothing you can do to help, you just have to consider one thing in everyday life that you can offer and simply take that burden off their to-do list. Even the common things help more than you could ever know.

For anyone experiencing this thing called life, it is easy to relate to the title of this episode; An Empty Tank. We all too often are running ourselves on an empty tank, not taking the time to refill what is empty or replenish what is needed. When dealing with the loss of someone, feeling empty becomes a whole new ache we were not prepared to feel. The need to focus on ourselves and refill what's needed is all the more important. Come listen and refill yourself…

Life is filled with many opportunities to make choices. Some may choose the good, while others may choose a darker path. In grief, choices are abundant as well. As we navigate through grief we can choose to face the day with strength and optimism, or sorrow and frustration. One thing is certain, no day is like the next. In this episode, I present a story that focuses on the power of choice. A simple reminder that each and every day we are presented with the power to choose how that day will play out. Are you consciously choosing the outcome of your day? Maybe today is the day to try…