Grief Grower

You've probably heard it—or maybe even said it: "I can't imagine what you're going through." It sounds compassionate on the surface, but it often creates emotional distance instead of connection.

In this episode, I explain why this common sympathy phrase misses the mark for many grievers and what to say that's actually comforting.

You'll learn:

• Why "I can't imagine" feels dismissive to grievers

• The deeper message this phrase unintentionally sends

• Short, compassionate alternatives to "I can't imagine what you're going through"

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code NEWYEARSGRIEF: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=NEWYEARSGRIEF

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

...

Read my viral blog: Grief Is Not "Just Love With No Place to Go." Here's What It Really Is. https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/blog-archive/grief-is-not-love-with-no-place-to-go-heres-what-it-really-is

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

When someone dies, social media can feel like the last thing on your mind. But often times, posting online the best way to update lots of friends and family at once. In this episode, I'll give you a clear, step-by-step framework for announcing a death on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media platforms with heart, compassion, and care.

You'll learn:

• What to say (and what not to say)

• Photo ideas that honor your loved one

• How to set kind-but-firm boundaries with your post

• Tips for logging off after you share

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code NEWYEARSGRIEF: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=NEWYEARSGRIEF

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

...

Read my viral blog: Grief Is Not "Just Love With No Place to Go." Here's What It Really Is. https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/blog-archive/grief-is-not-love-with-no-place-to-go-heres-what-it-really-is

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

The quote: "Grief is just love with no place to go" is everywhere, but it doesn't tell the whole story of life after loss. In this episode, explore what grief really is, especially when love isn't the defining emotion.

You'll learn:

• Why "grief is love" doesn't work for everyone
• How grief shows up after painful or distant relationships
• What grief includes beyond love—like identity, longing, and relief
• Why every grief experience deserves validation and space

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code NEWYEARSGRIEF: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=NEWYEARSGRIEF

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

...

Read my viral blog: Grief Is Not "Just Love With No Place to Go." Here's What It Really Is. https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/blog-archive/grief-is-not-love-with-no-place-to-go-heres-what-it-really-is

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Looking for grief support that doesn't require a whole bunch of your time, energy, or money? In this episode, I'm sharing 10 free (or nearly free) activities that can bring real comfort when you're grieving. These small, gentle practices are doable even on your hardest days.

You'll learn:

• Why grief makes even basic tasks feel impossible

• How simple actions like walking, crafting, or journaling can ease emotional pain

• Free and low-cost grief supports beyond therapy

• Creative ways to reconnect with your body, nature, and your loved ones—dead and alive

• Practical ideas to help you feel more grounded today

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join me LIVE in Ohio (December): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

When someone asks, "How are you?" do you freeze, fumble, or fake a smile? In this episode, I share 20 ways to respond to that loaded question while grieving—sorted from most to least personal.

You'll learn:

• How to protect your grief without hiding it

• When it's okay to say "I'm fine"

• Four types of responses for different social situations

• Why honesty isn't all-or-nothing in grief

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join me LIVE in LA (November) and Ohio (December): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

You've probably heard the phrase "don't speak ill of the dead"—but what if the person who died hurt you? I'm breaking down how this common advice silences survivors, protects harmful legacies, and makes grief harder for people with complicated losses.

You'll learn:

• Why "don't speak ill of the dead" is outdated, harmful advice

• How this phrase impacts survivors of abuse, estrangement, or neglect

• Three real examples of truth-telling obituaries and what they reveal

• What to say when someone tries to silence your grief

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join me LIVE in LA (November) and Ohio (December): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

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Grief isn't just heartbreaking—it's belief-shaping. After a major loss, many grieving people internalize painful stories like "I'm crazy," "I'm alone," and "My life will be like this forever." Understanding these beliefs (and what to say in response) can transform the way you show up and support the grieving people in your life.

You'll hear:

• Where the 3 most common grief beliefs come from

• Why reassurance like "You're not alone" can backfire

• Three phrases that offer quiet, effective comfort

• How to support someone you care about without fixing, minimizing, or analyzing

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join me LIVE in LA (November) and Ohio (December): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

What do you do when no one wants to talk about your loss—or hear your grief at all? In this episode, Susan Lieu, author of The Manicurist's Daughter, shares what it was like to grow up in a family where her mother's death was never acknowledged.

Together, we explore:

• Why some families avoid talking about grief

• The long-term effects of unspoken loss

• How to process grief solo when support isn't available

• The healing power of creativity and storytelling

Read The Manicurist's Daughter, subscribe to Susan's Substack "Live Like You're Mortal", and check out her foray into stand-up comedy: https://www.susanlieu.me/

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join me LIVE in LA (November) and Ohio (December): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

There are days when grief makes everything feel pointless—as if nothing will ever be good or meaningful again. If you've been there (or you're there now), this episode is for you.

I'm sharing eight small but meaningful ways to keep going when everything feels impossibly heavy. These are the low-pressure, real-life practices I've used myself and taught inside Life After Loss Academy—not to fix grief, but to help you move through it.

You'll hear:

• One mindset shift that can take the pressure off healing

• How to create a "Nope List" instead of a to-do list

• A defiant (and kind of hilarious) way to muster up hope

• Why noticing beauty can help you keep going

• The one word I use to soften catastrophic thoughts

Watch my FREE workshop: Grow Through Grief:https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/free-workshop

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join me LIVE in Chicago (October) and LA (November): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Society tells us that achievements are supposed to feel good—so why do they sometimes leave you feeling unsettled, sad, or even disconnected? This episode explores gain grief—the hidden grief that lives beneath "positive" milestones like graduation, marriage, promotions, parenthood, and more.

You'll learn:

• Why even "positive" transitions can be accompanied by real grief

• How to recognize gain grief in your own life

• Why naming hidden grief brings clarity, not heaviness

• How to honor what you're leaving behind, even if you're excited about what's next

• Ways to notice gains that may quietly exist within your losses

Watch my FREE workshop: Grow Through Grief:https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/free-workshop

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join me LIVE in Chicago (October) and LA (November): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast