Brave Widow Show

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

When your spouse dies, it can feel like your entire life burned to the ground. You don’t recognize yourself, you don’t know what’s next, and part of you is terrified that rebuilding a new life means abandoning the old one.

In this episode, I’m inviting you into my personal story and the exact mindset shifts that helped me go from “life is over” to becoming the architect of a new, hopeful, faith‑filled life.

We talk about:

If you’re a faith-based widow who is tired of feeling stuck, lonely, and “not really living,” this episode is for you.

TIMESTAMPS

WHO THIS IS FOR

Brave Widow Academy is for widows (from a few months to 20+ years out) who are:

If that’s you, apply at bravewidow.com/academy. Our next small cohort (under 20 women) starts Thursday, April 2.

💬 If this episode helped you, please: 

If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow and Brave Widow Academy.

I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person.

By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. 

After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief.

Since then, I’ve:

Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone.

Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world.

Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events.

Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again.

I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips.

I teach widows how to:

Heal their heart.

Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything.

Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again.

How I Got Here…

2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap.

2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different.

2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did.

Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice.

Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding.

Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. 

Today: My work is simple:

Help widows stop surviving each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again.

What do hospice nurses see at the end of life that most of us never talk about?

In this conversation, hospice nurse and GLADD founder Christa McDonald, RN shares what thousands of deaths have taught her about grief, regret, love, and how we can live (and grieve) differently.

If you’re a widow who feels like you’re “supposed” to just get over it, this episode will give you language, perspective, and permission to grieve in a healthier, more hope-filled way.

In this episode, we cover:

* Why we live in a grief-avoidant culture and how that hurts widows

* “How you live is how you die” and what that means for your next chapter

* Christa’s story of walking with death from age 13 and how GLADD was born

* What hospice nurses actually see and why many patients experience peace

* Practical ways to honor your person and stop feeling guilty for still grieving

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome & who Christa is

01:00 – Teen volunteer to hospice nurse: how death “found” her

06:00 – “We are a grief-avoidant society” and the cost of pretending

10:00 – The story of Christa’s stepdad and the birth of GLADD

15:00 – What hospice nurses notice at the end of life

18:00 – Signs and comforts near death (and why they matter for the living)

22:00 – Why “just get over it” doesn’t work & what to do instead

26:00 – How to connect with Christa + next steps with Brave Widow

Connect with Christa:

GLADD Community: https://gladdcommunity.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grievewithchrista

Next steps:

1. 🎯 Find your season of grief (free quiz): https://bravewidow.com/quiz

2. 📅 Join the live “4 Seasons of Grief” webinar: https://bravewidow.com/live

3. 🤍 Explore Brave Widow Academy: https://bravewidow.com/academy

If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow® and Brave Widow® Academy.

I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person.

By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. 

After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief.

Since then, I’ve:

Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone.

Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world.

Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events.

Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again.

I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips.

I teach widows how to:

Heal their heart.

Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything.

Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again.

How I Got Here…

2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap.

2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different.

2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did.

Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice.

Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding.

Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. 

Today: My work is simple:

Help widows stop surviving each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again.

Take the free 4 Seasons of Grief Quiz here: https://bravewidow.com/quiz

When life feels impossible after losing your spouse, it can feel like your story is over.

In this episode, Emily walks you through the 4 Seasons of Grief and shows how to take one tiny step toward what feels impossible right now: a life you can actually love again.

You’ll hear:

Timestamps
00:00 – When a good future feels impossible
01:00 – Season 1: Rawness – pure survival and “I’ll never be okay again”
08:40 – Season 2: Isolation – hollow routines, lost friendships, and gray days
14:10 – Free Brave Widow community invitation
15:00 – Season 3: Self‑Discovery – trying new things, getting knocked down by grief
25:00 – Managing your mind, guilt, and shame while you rebuild
31:00 – Season 4: Empowerment – bringing “impossible” dreams into real life
36:00 – Brave Widow coach training and widows leading widows
40:00 – Your next step: from impossible to “I actually love my life again”

Resources mentioned

If you feel stuck, empty, or like you’re “walking in place” while time passes, you are not broken. You’re grieving. You don’t have to do it alone.

💬 If this episode helped you, please: 

If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow and Brave Widow Academy.

I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person.

By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. 

After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief.

Since then, I’ve:

Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone.

Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world.

Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events.

Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again.

I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips.

I teach widows how to:

Heal their heart.

Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything.

Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again.

How I Got Here…

2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap.

2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different.

2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did.

Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice.

Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding.

Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. 

Today: My work is simple:

Help widows stop surviving each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again.

Take the free 4 Seasons of Grief Quiz here: https://bravewidow.com/quiz

If you’ve ever laid awake at night terrified you won’t have enough money to keep your home or lifestyle, this episode is for you. Emily shares a listener’s question about fear, explains what fear really is (and isn’t), and walks you through three practical steps to work with fear instead of letting it run your life – all through a gentle, faith-based lens.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Next steps:

If you feel like “a shell of yourself,” lonely, or stuck walking in place, you’re not broken and you’re not alone. There is a gentle, faith-based path forward, one small step at a time.

Chapters / Timestamps:

0:00 – When fear keeps you up at night: the listener’s question
1:00 – Life “before and after” loss and why your nervous system feels unsafe
3:00 – What fear actually is: a signal, not a sentence
5:30 – The car analogy: letting fear ride in the backseat, not drive your life
7:30 – Helpful fear vs unhelpful fear with money and lifestyle worries
9:00 – Step 1: Bringing fear out of the dark and naming what you’re afraid of
11:00 – Step 2: Gathering facts and checking your financial reality
15:30 – Applying the same process to big decisions like moving or selling a house
18:00 – Step 3: Creating a “fear plan” and giving your brain a job
22:00 – Client story: from months of fear about housing to selling in one week
26:30 – Fear can ride in the car, but it doesn’t get the steering wheel
28:00 – Invitation to Brave Widow Academy: you don’t have to do this alone

🌱 READY FOR DEEPER SUPPORT?

If you’re tired of feeling lost, lonely, and second‑guessing every decision, Brave Widow Academy is a 6‑month, faith‑based coaching program to help you rebuild a life you can love again.

Learn more:

https://bravewidow.com/academy

Book a free no‑pressure consult:
https://bravewidow.com/call

💬 If this episode helped you, please: 

If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow and Brave Widow Academy.

I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person.

By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. 

After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief.

Since then, I’ve:

Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone.

Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world.

Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events.

Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again.

I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips.

I teach widows how to:

Heal their heart.

Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything.

Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again.

How I Got Here…

2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap.

2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different.

2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did.

Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice.

Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding.

Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. 

Today: My work is simple:

Help widows stop white-knuckling their way through each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again.

Are you afraid you’re “doing grief wrong”?

In this episode, Emily breaks down the 4 Seasons of Grief and how to know if you’re actually healing or just staying busy.

Take the free 4 Seasons of Grief Quiz here: https://bravewidow.com/quiz

In this episode of the Brave Widow Show, Emily answers a question so many widows ask in different ways:

“Have I really done the work of grieving, or am I just pushing it down and keeping myself busy?”

You’ll learn:

Next steps:

If you feel like “a shell of yourself,” lonely, or stuck walking in place, you’re not broken and you’re not alone. There is a gentle, faith-based path forward, one small step at a time.

Chapters

0:00 – Are you “doing grief right”?
1:00 – Listener question: “Have I really done the work of grieving?”
3:05 – The fear of doing grief wrong (and what others think)
5:10 – Why time alone does NOT heal grief
7:00 – What it means to “do the work” of grieving
9:05 – Grief needs a witness: why talking matters
11:00 – The 4 Seasons of Grief (R.I.S.E. overview)
13:20 – Season 1: Rawness & survival mode
16:00 – Stabilize: the Chaos to Calm Blueprint
18:30 – Season 2: Isolation & feeling like a “shell”
21:00 – Holding “and”: grieving AND feeling moments of joy
23:40 – Seasons 2–3: Scheduling grief vs. staying busy
27:10 – Season 4: Empowerment & building a new life
29:30 – Are you busy to avoid grief… or to build a future?
32:00 – Overachievers, martyrs, and burning yourself out
35:00 – 3-step path: Stabilize, Explore, Build
37:00 – Free 4 Seasons of Grief Quiz & live webinar invite

🌱 READY FOR DEEPER SUPPORT?

If you’re tired of feeling lost, lonely, and second‑guessing every decision, Brave Widow Academy is a 6‑month, faith‑based coaching program to help you rebuild a life you can love again.

Learn more:

https://bravewidow.com/academy

Book a free no‑pressure consult:
https://bravewidow.com/call

💬 If this episode helped you, please: 

If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow and Brave Widow Academy.

I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person.

By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. 

After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief.

Since then, I’ve:

Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone.

Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world.

Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events.

Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again.

I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips.

I teach widows how to:

Heal their heart.

Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything.

Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again.

How I Got Here…

2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap.

2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different.

2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did.

Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice.

Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding.

Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. 

Today: My work is simple:

Help widows stop white-knuckling their way through each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again.

You don’t have to do it alone. 💜

In this episode, Emily Tanner (founder of Brave Widow) talks about the “in‑between” season of widowhood: the space between the life you had and the life you can’t yet see. She unpacks why this hidden season is not a punishment but a place of formation, how to wrestle honestly with God without pretending, and a simple 3‑step framework to start moving forward, even when you still feel sad, foggy, or unsure. 00:00 – Living In The In‑Between 01:10 – When Your Old Life Is Gone And The Future Feels Blank 03:05 – Signs You’re In The In‑Between 04:10 – Feeling Forgotten By God 05:15 – Elijah, The Wilderness, And Hidden Seasons 06:20 – Israel In The Desert & Grief As Lament 07:15 – Can I Still Trust God After He Didn’t Answer My Prayer? 08:10 – Praying Through Tears Without Pretending 10:00 – “Waiting On God” vs Doing Nothing 11:10 – What Faithful Waiting Really Looks Like 14:00 – “If I’m Still Sad, I Shouldn’t Move Forward” 15:05 – Forcing Outcomes vs Faithful Action 16:00 – A 3‑Step Framework For The In‑Between: Anchor – Act – Attune 19:30 – What God’s Guidance Usually Feels Like 20:00 – The In‑Between As Formation, Not Failure 22:00 – Life Update: Nathan’s Birthday & Graveside Sunrise 23:20 – Holding Two Truths: Grieving Nathan & Loving Robert 27:00 – Growing Your Capacity To Hold Mixed Emotions 31:40 – Final Encouragement For The In‑Between In this episode, you’ll hear: * What the “in‑between” is * Not the crisis moment and not the fully rebuilt chapter * Signs you’re in it: you can function but feel hollow, invisible, or forgotten * Why decision‑making feels impossible when you don’t know who you are now * Hidden seasons in Scripture * Elijah in the wilderness and God’s slow rebuilding work * Israel in the desert learning to trust and depend on God daily * Jesus’ 30 hidden years, David’s years between anointing and the throne * Why being unseen doesn’t mean you’re unimportant or unproductive * Wrestling honestly with God * Confusion when God feels “good” on paper but not in your reality * Why biblical faith doesn’t skip pain; it brings pain to God * How stuffing questions and stopping prayer keeps you stuck * Waiting on God vs. taking action * Common trap: “If I move, I’m not trusting God” * What faithful waiting actually looks like: seeking, listening, obeying the next step * The difference between forcing outcomes vs. taking small, surrendered steps * A 3‑step framework for the in‑between * Anchor – simple daily anchors (prayer, Scripture, boundaries, movement) * Act – identify what you want “more of” (peace, gentleness, stability, purpose) and take tiny actions toward that * Attune – regularly ask: What brings peace vs. pressure? Where do I sense God inviting me? What lights even a small spark? * Growing your capacity to hold “both/and” * Emily’s story of honoring Nathan’s birthday while preparing to celebrate her anniversary with Robert * Learning to hold grief and joy, past love and new love, loss and hope, without one erasing the other * Why expanding your emotional capacity makes life feel lighter and more grounded * Life update * Visiting Nathan’s graveside on his birthday * Upcoming anniversary trip with Robert * A teaser for an upcoming Q&A episode with Robert on dating/marrying a widow Resources mentioned: * Elijah: Faith and Fire by Priscilla Shirer * Just Be Honest: How to Pray When You’re Suffering by Clint Watkins 🌱 READY FOR DEEPER SUPPORT? If you’re tired of feeling lost, lonely, and second‑guessing every decision, Brave Widow Academy is a 6‑month, faith‑based coaching program to help you rebuild a life you can love again. Learn more: https://bravewidow.com/academy
 Book a free no‑pressure consult:
https://bravewidow.com/call 💬 If this episode helped you, please: * Hit Subscribe * Leave a quick rating & review – it helps more widows find this support * Share this with a friend who’s facing grief or the holidays without their person If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow and Brave Widow Academy. I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person. By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief. Since then, I’ve: Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone. Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world. Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events. Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again. I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips. I teach widows how to: Heal their heart. Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything. Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again. How I Got Here… 2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap. 2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different. 2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did. Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice. Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding. Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. Today: My work is simple: Help widows stop white-knuckling their way through each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again. You don’t have to do it alone. 💜

Do you ever freeze when someone asks “How are you?” and you don’t know how to answer without either lying or trauma‑dumping?

Today, fellow widow Erin Clark shares the grief language she created after losing her husband Greg: “How’s the weather?” It’s a softer way for widows and grievers to name their inner landscape – from bright and sunny to dark and stormy – without pressure to be “fine” or “strong.”

We talk about how this simple question became a movement, how it’s changing conversations in families, schools, and hospitals, and how you can start using it with the people who love you.

🎧 IN THIS EPISODE

00:00 Intro: Why “How are you?” can feel impossible
02:00 Erin’s story of losing Greg and feeling alone in a full house
03:30 The moment “How’s the weather?” was born
05:00 What it actually sounds like in real conversations
07:30 Turning a private language into a public movement
09:30 Launching “How’s The Weather” in 15 weeks (as a brand‑new founder)
12:30 Sticky notes, three tiny tasks, and surviving early grief
16:00 Feeling alone even with a big family or church
18:00 Why this helps both the griever and the friend who wants to help
21:00 Erin’s vision: schools, hospitals, chemo rooms, everywhere
23:30 Practical advice if you’re scared to start using this language
27:00 Brave Widow giveaway + life update
31:00 What’s coming next inside Brave Widow

💛 ENTER THE HOW’S THE WEATHER MERCH GIVEAWAY
If you’re in the US and want to win some How’s The Weather merch, enter here:
https://bravewidow.com/183
(If you’re watching later, this link will tell you if the giveaway is still open.)

🧡 CONNECT WITH ERIN CLARK – HOW’S THE WEATHER

Website: https://www.hows-the-weather.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wwwhowstheweather
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erin_clark_242
YouTube: search “How’s The Weather Erin Clark” or use handle @HowstheWeather-y3q

🤝 JOIN THE FREE BRAVE WIDOW COMMUNITY

Get access to free calls, trainings, and guided meditations for widows:
https://bravewidow.com/free

🌱 READY FOR DEEPER SUPPORT?

If you’re tired of feeling lost, lonely, and second‑guessing every decision, Brave Widow Academy is a 6‑month, faith‑based coaching program to help you rebuild a life you can love again.
Book a free no‑pressure consult:
https://bravewidow.com

💬 If this episode helped you, please: 

If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow and Brave Widow Academy.

I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person.

By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. 

After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief.

Since then, I’ve:

Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone.

Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world.

Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events.

Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again.

I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips.

I teach widows how to:

Heal their heart.

Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything.

Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again.

How I Got Here…

2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap.

2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different.

2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did.

Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice.

Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding.

Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. 

Today: My work is simple:

Help widows stop white-knuckling their way through each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again.

You don’t have to do it alone. 💜

Are you facing your first New Year as a widow and feeling dread instead of hope?

While everyone else is posting “New year, new me,” you might be thinking, “I didn’t even want this year. I just wanted my person back.”

In this episode, Emily shares 5 “permission slips” for your heart so you can walk into a new year without your person with more gentleness, honesty, and faith. No pretending you’re okay. No pressure to set big goals. Just real talk, real grief, and real hope in Jesus.

You’ll hear:

To help you put this into practice, I created a free New Year Permission Slip Worksheet just for widows.

👉 Download your free worksheet: https://bravewidow.com/182

You can print it, fill it out, and literally sign the permission you’re giving your heart this year.

Resources mentioned:

If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another widow who’s staring down January feeling alone. You don’t have to do this year by yourself.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: * Apply for the Brave Widow Academy Scholarship (applications open until January 2): bravewidow.com * Learn about the next Brave Widow Academy group starting Thursday, January 22 at bravewidow.com * Want more support rebuilding life after loss? Book a free consult at bravewidow.com * Curious about Grief Recovery Method® with Emily? https://www.bravewidow.com/offers/EPW2EeyT/checkout Everyone’s shouting “Happy New Year!” and making resolutions… and you’re thinking, I don’t even want this new year because he isn’t in it. If that’s you, this episode is for you. In Episode 181 of The Brave Widow Show, Emily talks about the strange, painful feeling of moving into a year your person will never see, and how to step into the future without feeling like you’re abandoning him in the past. You’ll hear: * Why entering a new year can feel surreal, unfair, and anxiety‑provoking for widows * A powerful reframe: if you believe you’ll see him again, each step forward can bring you closer, not further away * Emily’s story of feeling empty nearly two years out, and how Brave Widow slowly became more than she could have imagined * The “four seasons of grief” and why your life can one day feel better than you’re able to picture right now * How to “borrow belief” when you don’t have any hope left of your own You’ll leave with a tiny seed of hope that your life in the future can be gentler, fuller, and more meaningful than the gray, empty version your brain is predicting today. Get support as a widow If you’re a widow trying to rebuild a life you can love again, you don’t have to do it alone. Join the Brave Widow Academy for a proven path, live coaching, and a community of widows who truly get it: 👉 Learn more and join here: bravewidow.com/academy 💬 If this episode helped you, please: * Hit Subscribe * Leave a quick rating & review – it helps more widows find this support * Share this with a friend who’s facing grief or the holidays without their person

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

If this is your first Christmas without your husband and you already feel that knot in your stomach… this episode is for you.

In Episode 180 of The Brave Widow Show, Emily shares a gentle 3-step survival plan to help you get through what is often one of the hardest days in a widow’s first year: the first Christmas without him.

You’ll learn how to:

We talk about:

If you’re facing your first Christmas as a widow and feel fragile, numb, or like you might break at any moment… you are not alone, and there is a gentler way through this season.

Get support as a widow

If you’re a widow in your 40s–60s trying to rebuild a life you can love again, you don’t have to do it alone. Join the Brave Widow Academy for a proven path, live coaching, and a community of widows who truly get it:

👉 Learn more and join here: bravewidow.com/academy

💬 If this episode helped you, please: 

 • • Share this with a friend who’s facing grief or the holidays without their person