Grief comes in waves – successive, unpredictable, fierce or tumbling – and with each wave, we get swept up and taken to another place. It's often a mixed bag of emotions and thoughts, a place of anger, shame, nostalgia and memory, great sorrow, or even laughter and gratitude. 

How can we steady ourselves when faced with all these conflicting feelings? With self-compassion. 💝

In today's episode, I talk about:

• the three elements of self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness
• the non-linear quality of grief and how to cope with its unpredictable nature 
• how leaning into, and extending, the compassion that friends and family display can help you let go of negative emotions (shame, anger, regret)
• how an odd combination of sleep, retro TV detective shows, walks in Central Park, and mindfulness (led by my favorite “tell-it-like-it-is” Dharma teacher Vinny Ferraro) is helping me cope. 

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

If you like the podcast, head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com for more inspirational insights and resources, and sign up for Flow & Voice, a free monthly note with short, practical reflections on creativity and personal growth, plus occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into my audio storytelling journey.

Music: All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Songs in this episode: Sunshine On My Soul by Moments; Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World

Poem: The Luckiest Child

Resources:

What is self-compassion? (positive psychology article): https://positivepsychology.com/self-compassion-self-love/#self-compassion-and-positive-psychology

Vinny Ferraro’s website: https://vinnyferraro.org/; see the recordings tab for his Dharma talks and guided meditations

Related Episodes:

Making Peace with Grief (the Shapeshifter) - Episode #54

Grief & Gratitude (It's Bittersweet) - Episode #15

Journal Prompts:

1. List three activities that could engage you in a compassionate way during a difficult time.

2. In what ways has a friend or family member treated you with compassion as you grieve or struggle with a life transition?

3. What mindful act can help you lean into self-compassion? Write about what that could look like and how it would help.

Please subscribe & leave a review if today’s episode helped you handle grief with greater self-compassion.  💜💛

Follow Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillhodgevo/

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com