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My guest today is Christina Rasmussen who is an acclaimed grief educator and counselor. She is the bestselling author of Second Firsts, Where Did You Go? And her new book Invisible Loss is the focus of our conversation today. Now you might be wondering why I’m talking to a grief counselor on a podcast about optimization. But you’ll quickly realize that living a fulfilling and rewarding life is hindered by “invisible losses.” These unrecognized losses leave us feeling like we’re not living the life we’re meant to live.

Christina and I delve into the concept of the 'Thriver Self,' the part of us that's unhindered by fear, eager to try new things, looking for opportunities, and ready to take action. She argues that through an invisible loss, we lose our connection to our Thriver Self thus hindering our ability to move forward.

You will hear Christina put me on the hot seat as the tables turn and I get vulnerable about the circumstances of my life over the last year and a half. Christina helps me connect to my Thriver Self and identifies a simple step I can take to restore what was lost. This practical approach that she calls Life Reentry, is a process that will help us move on and thrive in our new reality.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

• Christina's origin story of why she chose to become a grief counselor (she didn't lose anyone yet)
• Why Zack calls the COVID pandemic, The Great Correction
• Why Zack decided to make a career transition
• The (untold) Christopher Rush story
• How Christina discovered invisible loss
• KEY TAKE AWAY: Invisible losses can be more catastrophic than recognized loss
• What is Mental Stacking and how is it done
• The Survivor Self and Thriver Self and why it's important to distinguish them
• Mental stacking with Zack - finding and recognizing an invisible loss
• What's a 'plug in' and how can it help to reconnect with your Thriver Self

Useful Resources Mentioned:

I Was Tired of Putting My Kids to Bed via FaceTime Every Night. Here’s What I Did About It

GO FAR: The Christopher Rush Story

The Invisible Losses Library

Invisible Loss book

Continue to Listen & Learn

The Ugly Truth About Burnout (Even When You’re Unemployed), and How to Build Immunity From It | with Dr. Kandi Wiens

A New Approach to Relieving Stress & Anxiety (and Improving “Emotional” Health) | with Nick Wignall

How to Reverse Depression, Anxiety, and ADD at the Genetic Level | with Dr. Ben Lynch

The Benefits of Mindfulness & Therapy (and How to Know Which One You Need) | with Seth Gillihan

The Power of a ‘Mindfulness’ Practice | with Dr. Swati Desai

How to Avoid Burnout and Live a More ‘Effortless’ Life | with Greg McKeown

Severance Is Not Only the Dystopian Future of Workplace Burnout…In Many Ways We’re Already There

The difference between exhaustion and burnout (and my dirty little secret)

[CASE STUDY] Overcoming Burnout and Imposter Syndrome | with Chryss Terry

The Ugly Side of Depression, Burnout, and Imposter Syndrome | with Gen Malone

The Science Behind Success and Creative Burnout (And Why You’re Approaching Both Mostly Wrong) | with Eric Barker

Real Talk About Mental Health and Depression | with Michael Kammes

Understanding the Link Between Creativity and Depression | with Dr. Edison de Mello

Guest Bio:

Christina Rasmussen

  

Christina Rasmussen is an acclaimed grief educator and bestselling author of Second Firsts (Hay House, 2013), Where Did You Go? (Harper One, 2018), and Invisible Loss (Sounds True, 2024). In 2010, four years after her thirty-five-year-old spouse passed away from Stage 4 colon cancer, she created the Life Reentry process, which launched her on a mission to bring compassion, grace, and validation to thousands, while simultaneously establishing an exit from what she termed the Waiting Room.

Christina holds a master’s degree in guidance and counseling (University of Durham). She is currently finishing her master of fine arts degree in painting and drawing (Academy of Art). Her grief work has been featured on ABC News and in Women’s World, the Washington Post, and the White House Blog.

In her spare time, she is learning to play the piano and planning her first trip to the edge of space. She works and lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Eric, and their two dogs.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zackarnold/exclusive-content