Episodes
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How can a simple quote or a short poem make such a difference to a person?
Here’s the thing—grief can be isolating.
It can make you feel like no one else understands what you’re going through.
But when you come across a line of poetry or a heartfelt quote that captures exactly what you’re feeling, it’s like a light bulb goes off.
You realize: I’m not alone in this.
Someone else has been where I am, and they found the words to express it.
Today on the podcast we dive deep into 20 motivational quotes about grief and the holidays.
Let them become a touchstone of comfort, understanding, even transformation!
Have a lovely holiday.
xoxo, JenBe sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
I want to offer something up to you this month.
I want to challenge you to be daring and do something different in December!
This time of year can be especially trying and challenging for widows as we navigate the holidays and the ups and downs of balancing tradition with moving forward after losing our spouse.
So, why not change things up a little this month!
Change the focus.
Get out of your own head and change the focus onto some new experiences and even new adventures.
Today I am going to share 9 ways to be daring in December, step out of your comfort zone, get out of your own way, and do something different that may in fact change your life!
For extra help and support this holiday season, grab a copy of The Widow's Holiday Guidebook: 45 Days of Self-Reflection, Self-Compassion, and Self-Care.
The eBook is only $7!
Download your copy at https://www.widow180.com/booksBe sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Missing episodes?
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The holidays are almost here!
Have you made any plans?
Do you have an idea of what you want to do?
Who do you want to see?
Many of you are facing the holidays alone for the first time in a long time.
And while this should be a season of joy, for many widows it's a time we would just like to skip over or ignore!
In today's repeat episode from #148, we are talking about the 3 P's to remember this holiday season!
These P's are taken from my book, The Widow's Holiday Guidebook: 45 Days of Self-Reflection, Self-Compassion, and Self-Care.
If you would like to get a copy of this eBook, download it here:
https://www.widow180.com/books
I hope you find this episode to be empowering! If you like it, please share it with a friend!
Please leave us a rating and review...it helps us reach widows around the world!Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
This is an episode that I recorded in November 2022 the week before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time when we are focused on family and gratitude.
BUT...
As you know, it's pretty difficult to find things to be grateful for when you are buried in grief and suffering the loss of someone special in your life.
Grief causes a serious gratitude slump!
Here's a way to uplevel your gratitude game and REALLY feel the emotion of gratitude again!
If you need extra help this holiday season, get a copy of my e-book: The Widow's Holiday Guidebook today! It's 45 days of self-reflection, self-compassion, and self-care! AND it's only $7! Go to https://www.widow180.com/booksBe sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Mother Theresa has a quote that says, "We can do no great things, only small things done with great love."
This week on the podcast we are talking about harnessing your ability to see the beauty in the small gestures.
You have the gift of sight. You can choose to see the good in the small miracles and acts of humanity, even as you world is crumbling under grief.
I encourage you to remember this.
You have the gift of sight.
Use it. Practice it. Embody it.Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Welcome back to Part 2 of my interview with Tracy Quinn!
This week I talk to Tracy about:
~ Being resilient and learning what helps you recover from the trauma of loss.
~ How she found a new love in her life with James.
~ Things to consider when dating as a widow!
~ Moving and selling her home.
~ Keeping memories of her life with Carl.
~ Handling milestone days.
~ Giving yourself grace during the hardest time of your life.Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Welcome to this incredibly inspiring interview with the lovely Tracy Quinn! Tracy lost her husband Carl in 2020 to COVID. Today she is on the podcast sharing her experience with the world, offering golden nuggets of advice that you don't want to miss! Her strength and positivity are an inspiration to all of us. This is Part 1 of a 2 part interview.
Tracy and I chat about:
~ How losing her husband during COVID forced her into quarantine and a completely different grieving experience than normal.
~ How the power of community and friends can help us get through even the toughest times.
~ How she was able to honor Carl during the COVID quarantine
~ How she handled loneliness
~ Having dreams about our loved ones and what they mean
Be sure to come back next week for Part 2 of the interview!Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Today's episode was inspired by a message I received via email from a listener who had recently lost her husband.
She had something that was weighing on her mind and keeping her up at night. She kept thinking...
"What if I get sick?"
And that thought spiraled into...
"Who will take care of me?"
"How will I manage?"
"How will I be able to keep up with my house if I get sick?"
These are all valid concerns and I know a lot of you listeners can relate to these questions!
Let's talk about it on today's episode!Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Join me this week as we celebrate a HUGE milestone of reaching 200 podcast episodes on Widow 180: The Podcast!
I thought I would take this time to share my story with you since we have so many new listeners and members of the Widow 180 community.
This is an interview I did with Emily Thiroux Threatt on her podcast titled "Grief and Happiness" last year.
I share my own widow story, how becoming a widow changed my life, affected my attitude, and changed my perspective.
I share the lessons I've learned and the mistakes I've made on this journey.
I also share how the podcast came to be and how inspired I am by the widows I get to meet every single day!
I cannot thank you enough for all of your support!
200 episodes - what an incredible milestone!Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
We all know that grief and anxiety can go hand in hand.
After losing your spouse, it’s hard to stop the feeling of being out of your body and out of your mind. You’re massively anxious. Your mind races with uncertainty. Fear rushes through you. Your thoughts are running through every horrible scenario and possibility. You expect nothing but the worst of all circumstances to occur. Your breathing is shallow. You’re sweaty and uncomfortable. You’re in the middle of a panic attack.
When you find yourself about to have a panic attack or in the midst of a panic attack, there is something you can do to stop it. To calm yourself down, to control it and get a grip on the whirlwind that you’re lost in.
Try THIS helpful grounding practice the next time you feel a panic attack coming on.
Grab our FREEBIE, The How To Get Your Life Back Together After Loss: 10 Step Checklist HERE: widow180.ck.page/lifebackBe sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Most bereaved people make their way along the grief road, albeit bumpy and full of potholes, that leads to accepting the loss, integrating the reality of that loss into a new life, and reimagining a future with the possibility of joy.
The acute grief, the intensely painful grief that you feel in those first months, starts to lessen. It transforms and becomes integrated into your new life, your new normal.Most people fall into this category.
However, a small minority of people, roughly 7-10% according to the National Institute of Health, become so entangled, essentially trapped in their grief.
And this is where complicated grief is different. Complicated grief is the syndrome that occurs when the transformation from the darkness of grief back into the light does not happen.
Complicated grief disrupts the healing process. Complicated grief is altered grief that starts down a different course than the one we just talked about. Basically, it takes a turn for the worse. You struggle to move forward. Your grief is so profound it becomes chronic and debilitating. It cripples your ability to function normally in the world. The suffering persists. It becomes deep-rooted. Sometimes lasting for years. Healing just doesn’t happen.
Today we discuss what it means to have complicated grief, who is likely to experience it, and how we can treat it.
Questions or comments? Email me at [email protected]Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
This is Part 2 of my interview with the lovely Leila Salisbury, who opened Kentucky's first center for grief support for families and children. Leila shares her expertise in the field of children's grief and tells us how to communicate more effectively about loss.
Today we talk about:
~ How kids use anger as an outlet for grief (we all do!)
~ How we can help kids process their anger using focused activities like mindfulness techniques, art therapy, etc. These work for adults as well!
~ Letting kids be kids! They should never feel a burden to take over a parenting role in the household.
~The challenge and struggle of balancing your own grief and your child's grieving needs. They don't always match up! And sometimes we need to compromise.
~ Always keep the lines of communication open with kids!
~ Check out all of the resources on Leila's website: www.kcgcf.orgBe sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
I am so pleased to welcome back Leila Salisbury to the podcast to talk about parenting your grieving child. This is Part 1 of 2 episodes with Leila.
Leila was first on the podcast in episode 174 where she talked about losing her husband to suicide, raising her daughter, and opening Kentucky's first and only family grief support center.
Be sure to check out that interview!
On today's podcast, Leila and I talk about:
~how to have hard conversations with grieving children.
~resources like the Eluna Network
~behavioral milestones of grieving children
~setting boundaries with kids
~teens and loss
~what is a 504 document? why you might want to get one!
I hope you enjoy this episode! Join us next time for Part 2 with Leila and more important advice on parenting grieving children.
Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Megan Kopka joins us this week on the podcast! She lost her husband Keith to the devastating illness ALS. Megan is passionate about helping women, especially- caregivers and widows, find financial security and
freedom to live fulfilling lives supported through planning and investing.
In today's interview, we chat about:
~where she was able to find support after losing Keith
~her greatest fear as a widow
~finding healthy coping mechanisms
~finding the strength to show up every day and be a good role model for your kids!
~her involvement with Modern Widows Club
~her fierce dedication to helping widows and caregivers thrive!
Megan is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Registered Life Planner.
Megan co-founded the Cape Fear Community of the Modern Widows Club (MWC) in May 2020 and served as their community advocate until December 2023. She also served on the Golden Committee for the National Modern Widows Club,
a national non-profit organization that serves widows. Megan is now the Board Chair for MWC.
You can reach Modern Widows Club at https://www.modernwidowsclub.org
You can reach Megan at https://www.apprisewealthmanagement.comBe sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Capt. David Dorn tragically lost his life in 2020, while responding to a break-in during a protest in St. Louis.
His widow, Ann Wood-Dorn, joins me today on the podcast to talk about Dave, how she has coped with his loss, and how she is living out his legacy of generosity and kindness.
Ann and I talk about:
~the riots in St. Louis and the events around her husband's death in 2020.
~how she handled debilitating anxiety.
~going through a trial process and how to handle stress
~an incredible connection she formed with her service dog, Poncho!
~buying a new house only months after Dave passed away.
~starting a foundation in March 2022
~how she is finding purpose by giving back and helping first responders
If you would like to make a donation, please click below:
https://www.dornfoundation.com/meet-the-foundation-2Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
We all experience guilt in some way after we lose our spouse.
We feel responsible for what happened.
We get trapped in this illusion of control, thinking that we could have or should have done something differently and they would still be here.
In this episode, you will hear how guilt shows up for widows, why we continue to blame ourselves, and how we can let go of guilt in grief.
As long as you feel the need to punish yourself, you cannot get on with the business of living a happy life.
Give yourself permission to move forward.
Please always be kind to yourself.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a kind rating and review for the podcast! It is always appreciated!Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
"I just always knew in my heart that I had to keep living." ~Emily Curtis
Emily Curtis, widow and grief coach, joins us this week on the podcast to talk about how she was able to tap into her own resilience to move through grief after losing her husband Brad suddenly.
We chat about:
~ anger being such a HUGE emotion around grief
~ how her friends really became her family during this time.
~ her strategy for handling loneliness!
~ how EMDR was a game-changer for her trauma!
~ how medication from her therapist helped her slow down and BE IN her grief to process it all!
~ how she met her new love, Lyon and is embracing and living into this new relationship!
~ how she became a certified grief coach and is helping other widows navigate their grief.
~ you can find her at Awaken and Renew Grief Coaching:
https://www.awakenrenewcoaching.com
If you enjoyed this episode, please lave a rating and review!
Thanks!Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
My guest this week on the podcast is MaryJo Newell. I've known MaryJo from really close to the beginning of her widowhood story. A few years later, I can see the changes in her, the growth, and her transformation of becoming who she is today. Join us in this conversation as she shares her insights, perspectives, and things she's learned about life and about herself.
We chat about:
~losing her husband in January 2020 and navigating loss, grief , and COVID isolation all at once
~how Facebook was her outlet and connection during COVID
~her decision to move despite people telling her what to do.
~dealing with guilt over feeling better!
~making the decision to give yourself permission to move forward in life
~how she learned to find new hobbies and new friends
~how she chose to travel solo and how it changed her world!
~her genius advice about going to concerts!
Mary Jo is such a light and such a joy!
If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Also, please leave a nice rating and review for the podcast so we can reach more widows around the world!
Thank you!
Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
Ryane Moates joins us this week for a candid interview about losing her husband and her journey through losing her confidence, losing her faith, and losing hope.
She shares what she did to welcome God back into heart, what she did to regain that confidence, and what she chose to bring purpose and meaning into her life through her YouTube channel, Ryane To The Rescue!
We talk about:
~ how she lost her husband John 7 weeks after a horrible biking accident.
~How she embraces the word "acceptance"
~when she decided to take off her ring
~ How she struggled with her faith
~How she was able to rebuild confidence
~How she decided to launch her YouTube channel
~How she write her new book, Field Guide For WidowsBe sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] -
This is Part 2 of my interview with Eva Still, widow, author, yoga therapist, and retreat leader.
In this episode, Eva walks us through some helpful breathing exercises to calm and regulate our nervous system when we feel anxious.
She also mentions several books that she recommends for grief and mindfulness. Here's a list:
Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief (David Kessler)Writing to Heal the Soul: Transforming Grief & Loss Through Writing (Susan Zimmerman)
Anxious Grief: A Clinician's Guide to Supporting Grieving Clients Experiencing Anxiety, Panic & Fear(Claire Bidwell Smith)
Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory (Deb Dana)
When Life Hits Hard: How to Transcend Grief, Crisis & Loss with Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (Russ Harris)
The Chakras in Grief & Trauma (Karla Helbert)
In Spanish... El Duelo Duele... y eso está bien (grief hurts... and that's ok) (Camilo Russi)
Breath techniques:Physiologica sigh - two sips in through the nose, filling the lungs, long slow exhale through the mouth
Lengthen the exhale - inhale for four, exhale for five, six or seven
Box breathing - inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4, inhale 4... etc.
Grounding/self-soothing
Butterfly hug - bilateral stimulation, hands crossed on the chest or to the opposite shoulder, gently tapping while breathing deeply
Orienting - look around your space and name three things you see
5 senses orienting - name something you can see, hear, smell, feel touch
You can reach Eva at:
Instagram @evastillyoga
Website: https://www.evastill.comBe sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ
For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com
Questions? Email me at [email protected] - Show more
