Self-care sounds simple… until you're grieving.

In this episode of Grief Unfiltered, host Krystle Hall breaks down what practical, everyday self-care really looks like when you're grieving.

Spoiler Alert: it's not spa days or green juice (unless that helps). It’s about survival: granola bars in your nightstand, hydration hacks, and showering while sitting on the floor.

Through candid stories and honest advice, Krystle offers a roadmap for how to care for yourself when just existing feels like work. Whether you’re deep in the trenches of loss or trying to support someone who is, this episode reminds us that healing starts small. Like really small, and that those tiny wins count.

00:00 – Welcome to Grief Unfiltered
00:34 – What “self-care” really means when you’re grieving
01:18 – Basic maintenance: food, water, and just surviving
03:42 – Hydration hacks (yes, even the ridiculous water bottle works)
06:54 – Eating something (anything!) and why it matters
07:37 – What counts as self-care (hint: it’s not always a pedicure)
09:48 – Little resets: sunshine, socks, and rage-cleaning
10:48 – Can’t get out of bed? Try the timer trick
12:14 – Krystle’s therapy journey + building habits slowly
13:36 – Sit-in showers and the magic of clean clothes
15:17 – The power of small, daily rituals
16:40 – The hard truth: your loved one isn’t coming back
18:26 – Two choices: let grief consume you or carry it with you
20:13 – Homework: one tiny act of self-care today
22:15 – Final reminder: you deserve to live—and thrive

Looking for more support?

Visit Grow Through Your Grief to explore the Befriend Your Grief course—a space to move through loss with compassion, permission, and community.

🖤 Subscribe to Grief Unfiltered, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who might need a little light today. Grief isn’t linear, but we’re in it together.

In this episode of Grief Unfiltered, Krystle Hall explores a powerful question so many of us wrestle with: “Am I allowed to feel joy… even now?”

Through deeply personal storytelling, she shares the moment she realized joy and grief aren’t at war—they’re companions. From spontaneous laughter to sunshine on your face, these moments can feel both healing and heavy. Guilt shows up. The “shoulds” kick in. But what if allowing joy isn’t forgetting your person—it’s honoring them?

Krystle walks us through what it looks like to carry both, how joy doesn’t erase your grief, and how healing begins when you stop seeing joy as the enemy.

This episode is your permission slip to smile, laugh, and live—even with your grief riding shotgun.

00:00 Welcome & intro: Why this episode matters
00:31 The guilt of feeling joy after loss
01:16 Life doesn’t stop when your world does
02:39 Can joy mean forgetting them?
03:40 Society’s unspoken grief “rules”
04:58 If the roles were reversed—what would they want for you?
06:16 When Krystle realized she wasn’t really living
07:55 The slow return of joy, one small step at a time
09:22 Relearning what it means to live
10:45 Finding beauty in the tiny, ordinary things
11:35 Joy doesn’t cancel grief—it honors your love
13:17 The truth: Grief doesn’t shrink—you grow stronger
14:50 The emotional “weightlifting” of healing
15:53 Releasing guilt: step-by-step
17:41 The fragility of life—and the power of choice
18:35 Practicing small joys with intention
19:53 What support (and resistance) can look like
21:02 Naming your grief—Frankie returns 🫶
22:43 Letting grief ride along, but not drive
23:25 Final thoughts + invitation to connect

“Grief doesn’t demand your constant suffering. It just wants to be acknowledged.”

“You’re not betraying your loved one by living. You’re honoring them by making the most of the life you still have.”

“Let joy sit at the table too.”

Visit Grow Through Your Grief to explore the Befriend Your Grief course—a space to move through loss with compassion, permission, and community.

🖤 Subscribe to Grief Unfiltered, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who might need a little light today. Grief isn’t linear, but we’re in it together.

In this heartfelt episode of Grief Unfiltered, host Krystle Hall takes us into the world of “the firsts”. Those gut-wrenching moments that follow the loss of a loved one. From birthdays and holidays to the unexpected grief triggers (like a milk carton expiration date or a commercial on TV), Krystle opens up about how these milestones hit differently—and often harder—than we expect.

Through vulnerable storytelling and lived experience, she shares practical ways to navigate the firsts, shift your mindset, and honor your grief without judgment. Listener stories add humor, humanity, and warmth to the conversation, reminding us that we’re never alone in our pain—or our healing.

Whether you're facing a painful date on the calendar or supporting someone who is, this episode offers deep comfort and gentle guidance.

[00:00] Welcome & Episode Intro
[00:30] The dreaded firsts: birthdays, holidays, and more
[01:11] The emotional build-up vs. the actual day
[02:14] Grief triggers: milk cartons, calendars, commercials
[03:36] Birthday dinner breakdown (and surprise joy)
[05:04] No rules: Grief is unpredictable and personal
[06:35] Navigating big days: celebrate or skip?
[07:46] The unexpected pain of public holidays and ads
[08:44] Envy, mindset shifts, and honoring the living
[11:02] Survival tips: Make a plan, be flexible
[13:44] The weird relief that comes after the hard day
[15:00] Starting new traditions (or skipping them)
[16:16] Talk about them—don’t avoid their name
[17:04] Feel it all: the good, the bad, and the weird
[18:33] When distraction helps—but not forever
[19:38] Listener stories: burnt turkeys, spaghetti fails & Hallmark roasts
[20:45] Final thoughts: it doesn't get easier—you just get better at carrying it

More Support: Grow Through Your Grief
Online Course: Befriend Your Grief 📚 

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Grief in the 21st century looks a little different.

In this episode of Grief Unfiltered, host Krystle Hall explores how mourning has shifted in the digital age. From Facebook memorials to tribute TikToks, she unpacks the beauty and awkwardness of grieving online. Through personal stories and follower experiences, Krystle reflects on how digital spaces can both support healing and complicate grief.

Whether you're someone who posts to feel close to your loved one or someone who prefers to grieve quietly offline, this episode is here to remind you: there is no "right" way to grieve. Just your way.

[00:00] Welcome to Grief Unfiltered – What this podcast is all about
[00:34] Grieving in a Digital World – A look at how grief has changed over time
[01:36] The Evolution of Mourning Practices – From portraits to posts
[02:34] The Benefits of Digital Grieving – Connection, memory sharing, and virtual support
[06:24] The Downsides of Public Grief – Pressure to post, awkward reminders, and trolls
[08:42] Digital Legacy Planning – Memorial pages and AI grief tech
[10:36] Personal Stories of Digital Grief – Krystle and listeners share how the digital world has impacted their grief
[16:03] Final Thoughts on Grieving Online – Honor your grief, your way
[16:37] Closing Remarks – How to connect and share your own story

More Support: Grow Through Your Grief
Online Course: Befriend Your Grief 📚 

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If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review and share it with someone who might need it.

Grief changes us. In this deeply personal episode, Krystle Hall opens up about her own journey through loss, sharing how she endured the heartbreaking experience of losing 8 loved ones in just 11 years. From sudden tragedies to anticipatory grief, Krystle recounts how each loss shaped her, broke her, and ultimately led her toward healing.

She candidly explores the emotional impact of grief, the dark moments she faced, and the hard-earned lessons she’s learned along the way. If you’ve ever felt like grief was swallowing you whole, this episode is here to remind you—you are not alone and healing is possible.

📌 Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Welcome to Grief Unfiltered – What this podcast is about and why Krystle is sharing her story.
[00:00:30] Why this episode matters – A message of hope for those struggling with loss.
[00:01:19] How grief changed my life – Losing 8 people in 11 years and what it taught me.
[00:02:17] Understanding different types of loss – How grief affects us in unique ways.
[00:05:00] The first major loss – Losing her cousin, Bonnie, and the shock of grief.
[00:08:25] Losing her dad – Navigating anticipatory grief and the emotional toll of terminal illness.
[00:10:49] Her mother’s fiancé – A painful but different kind of loss.
[00:11:40] Watching her father decline – The hardest experience of her life.
[00:14:23] The downward spiral – Anxiety, depression, and facing grief head-on.
[00:17:10] Therapy and healing – What finally helped her move forward.
[00:19:37] Losing her grandmother & grandfather – How perspective on grief evolved over time.
[00:22:36] Losing two close coworkers – The unique pain of grieving friendships.
[00:24:53] Her mother-in-law’s battle with cancer – Finding strength in love and memories.
[00:26:39] What grief has taught me – Love, loss, and learning to live again.
[00:27:49] Final thoughts – You can survive this, and you are not alone.

💡 Resources & Links:

More Support: Grow Through Your Grief 🌿
Online Course: Befriend Your Grief 📚 

🎧 Subscribe & Share – If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with someone who needs it.

Grief doesn’t always begin at the moment of loss—it can start long before. In this episode, host Krystle Hall dives into anticipatory grief, the emotions we experience when we know a loss is coming. She shares personal stories of navigating the slow, painful reality of knowing goodbye is inevitable, from the decline of a beloved pet to losing her father and other family members.

Whether you’re facing a terminal diagnosis of a loved one, watching someone decline, or experiencing a major life transition, this episode will help you feel less alone. Krystle breaks down the emotional rollercoaster of anticipatory grief and offers insights on coping with the unknown.

📌 Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Welcome to Grief Unfiltered – Introduction and what this podcast is about.
[00:00:49] What is anticipatory grief? – Understanding grief that begins before loss occurs.
[00:01:26] Signs and emotions – How anticipatory grief can manifest, from sadness and anxiety to guilt and relief.
[00:02:43] Personal stories – Krystle shares six personal experiences with anticipatory grief.
[00:03:06] Bailey & Chloe – The heartbreaking journey of losing her dogs and seeing their bond in grief.
[00:10:25] Losing her dad – A deeply personal story of watching her father fight a terminal illness.
[00:21:48] The waiting game – How knowing loss is coming affects mental health and daily life.
[00:27:09] Her grandparents’ stories – Anticipating loss due to age and illness.
[00:30:06] Her mother-in-law’s journey – A different experience of anticipatory grief with a longer prognosis.
[00:32:05] Common experiences – Mood swings, awkward conversations, and the impact of “at least” statements.
[00:33:39] Emotional stages – Denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and eventual acceptance.
[00:36:07] Communicating with loved ones – The importance of open conversations, no matter how uncomfortable.
[00:37:29] Key takeaways – Don’t do it alone, take it one day at a time, and find moments of joy.
[00:38:47] Final thoughts – Grief doesn’t mean stopping life; it means learning how to keep living.

💡 Resources & Links:

More Support: Grow Through Your Grief  🌿
Online Course: Befriend Your Grief  📚 

🎧 Subscribe & Share – If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share with someone who might need it.

Grief is messy, personal, and unpredictable—but what if we embraced it instead of running from it? In this introductory episode, host Krystle Hall shares why she created Grief Unfiltered and what you can expect from this podcast. With real stories, expert insights, and a community that understands, this space is for anyone navigating grief—whether it's fresh or years in the making.

📌 Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Introduction – Welcome to Grief Unfiltered! What this podcast is about and who it’s for.
[00:00:30] Why this podcast? – Krystle’s personal experience with loss and why traditional grief advice didn’t resonate.
[00:01:14] What to expect – Real stories, expert insights, and weekly episodes to support you on your grief journey.
[00:01:40] Who you’ll hear from – Guests including therapists, healers, authors, and everyday people who’ve walked this path.
[00:01:58] Join the community – Subscribe, share, and leave a review to help others find this space.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe!

More Support: Grow Through Your Grief 🌿
Online Course: Befriend Your Grief  📚