Podcast

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…

This episode promises to provide you with a better way to understand yourself as well as others. It will help you identify why some friends may shy away from those hard subjects, while others dive in and have always been by your side. We identify key traits to find within yourself that can offer up a better understanding of how you feel, interact, process thoughts and emotions, and much more. I chat with my friend and Life Coach, Angie Robinson, about the people who support you, how to best support others, and we introduce why you might want to choose a word of the year for 2022. Come along for the discussion and see all you can learn and how it can relate to your grief journey. 

Forward motion in life is important, however, with loss comes the overwhelming sense of moving forward an impossibility. As with any challenge in life, taking one step at a time is the best way to gain enough momentum to move forward, no matter the pace. So the question remains, how does one take those steps forward? Although the answer is not an easy, one-size-fits-all solution, it does require the same basic foundation no matter what your loss; support, inspiration, and determination.

As we adjust to the new year ahead we see January as the start of something new. For those who are on their journey with grief, each month, each week, and for many, each day can feel the same, however, with the start of something much different. Not necessarily the promise of something new. To "Begin Again" becomes a daily aspect of your new life with its own peaks and valleys. Today we discuss a few ways to adjust your mindset to approach the new year while on your journey with grief. Also, in this episode, we reveal the date for the upcoming Journey Forward Retreat and discuss details of what you can expect at this all-day retreat!

During this time between Christmas and the New Year, we often find ourselves reflecting back on the previous year. Taking stock in our successes, our failures, and the things that have affected our lives. Happiness is usually another measuring stick we use to establish the tone of the year that has come to an end, but when you are grieving, happiness, is at best, fleeting. Join me in this episode as I chat with my friend, Crystal Steers of the Chasing Happiness podcast. Her insights, mindset, enthusiasm, and overall focus on the happiness we live intentionally are refreshing and inspiring. 

During Christmas, the joy and festivities presented by so many can be daunting to someone who is on their journey in grief. With the world tilted toward holiday cheer and everything merry, adding grief to this anxious time of year presents to many a nearly impossible task. To have a Merry Christmas… as usual. In this episode, I discuss ways to shift your mindset to still have a good holiday season. For those supporting a friend or family member during grief, I discuss ways to help them through this difficult time of year.

After the loss of someone close, it is a common suggestion not to make any large changes in the first year. Good advice, however, when making changes anytime after loss, it is wise to understand that specific advice is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. As each experience is different, so too are the responses associated with that experience. When grieving, some may wait more than a year to clean out a loved one's closet while others may do so in the first few months. The question posed is often, which is best? That is solely determined by the one who is grieving. As long as you've taken into consideration your desire to make a change based on where you are on your grief journey and it makes sense for you, go ahead and make the change. Do so mindfully and purposefullly.