In this episode, I want to give you a widow pep talk.

I want to give you some words of encouragement to help you see how courageous, inspiring and incredible you are.

In our journey through grief, acknowledging the things that we've done since our person has died can be challenging.

Some people find this a little easier while others may feel disloyal. It can be hard to acknowledge the things that we're doing and giving ourselves credit for that.

Listen as we discuss:

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How do we find hope during the holiday season when there’s grief?

In a season that can be filled with emotional challenges, I hope you find solace and peace in this special Christmas episode.

With the help of some of the members in my community we have brought together tips to honour the memories of your loved one, carry on with holiday traditions and practice self-care during the holidays.

Join me on a journey of rediscovering joy while honoring the memories of our loved ones.

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Join The Widows Membership:

https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership

Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

In this episode of The Widow Podcast I discuss three important factors to guide you on your grief journey. These factors haven’t been scientifically proven, they’re just from my own experience and from the experience of the people I help in one to one sessions, and in groups.

In my experience, the three most important factors are:

Rely on your support system, don’t say no to help. It’s important to remember that accepting help isn’t weakness, it doesn’t make you a burden or a bad person. People WANT to help, they want to be there for you, so let them in.

Change the narrative. Don’t let your loss define you. Don’t let it impact you negatively for the rest of your life. I had a burning desire to not become a victim, to believe life could be good again. I had no idea how to do it, or even if I fully believed it, but it was a belief and a desire within me, and it can be within you too. 

And finally, have an open heart and an open mind. Your life isn’t over, even if in that moment and moments to come it feels like it is. It hurts, and it’ll carry on hurting, but don’t close yourself off to new opportunities. Instead of saying no, never, say not right now, maybe in the future, maybe soon. Allow yourself to be open to the possibility of a happy future.

What would life look like to be widowed twice?

Clare and Moira are two incredible women in my community who have both been widowed twice. 

They share their stories of loss, love and the journey of what it’s like to  go through widowhood for a second time. 

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David Kessler, one of the world’s foremost experts on grief shares his wisdom and his experience of working with thousands of people on how to move past grief and loss.

He’s been featured by The New York Times, Unlocking Us with Brene Brown, TODAY Show, GQ, and more.

He's written six bestselling books and has just released the workbook, Finding Meaning: Grief Workbook: Tools for Releasing Pain and Remembering with Love.

In this companion workbook to David’s bestselling book Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief, you’ll begin to understand your unique and personal experience with grief and learn how to work through your loss with more love than pain.

Listen as we talk about:

Resources:

Join The Widows Membership:

https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership

Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

For more information on David Kessler and live events, www.Grief.com

Have you ever wondered how to find hope again and the resilience to carry on after experiencing a profound loss?

Pete Cohen is an expert in human behaviour and performance, business consultant, coach, motivational speaker and the founder of Mi365.

Pete has dedicated his life to helping others discover their true passions, living life intentionally and become the best versions of themselves.

The author of 20 published books, the Host of the Mi365 Daily Intentions podcast, the resident and life coach on GM TV for 12 years and the coach to numerous world-class sporting stars and teams, Pete has helped inspired and empowered so many people to live their lives with purpose and meaning.

Pete also recently lost his wife, Hannah who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and given 18 months to live. When she passed Pete went on his own journey to find inner strength and resilience.

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Resources:

Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership

Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

How soon is "normal" enough for a widow to start craving intimacy? Is it even possible to have a genuine desire for someone new after the death of a loved one? The simple answer is yes. But unfortunately, widowhood has traditionally been constructed as an asexual period. A widow may look to move forward, but not without the risk of being judged. A widow may crave intimacy from another, but not without feeling guilty. 

So, how can widows find space in their hearts to be intimate with somebody else and still love and grieve their person? 

In this episode, we'll discuss sexual desires and the loss of intimacy in widowhood. We'll also go through some practical tips to help you reconnect with your desires and rediscover your sexuality.

What You'll Learn:

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Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Almost everyone has heard about the five stages of grief.

However, these 5 stages were first proposed in 1969, which is why many people question their relevance in today's world.

Plus, despite their popularity, grief researchers have continuously demonstrated that everyone handles grief in their own distinct way.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, the creator of the 5 stages of grief, herself said it was never meant to be prescriptive; it was meant to be descriptive. 

So why are people still following a framework that is obviously not correct?

In this episode, we'll talk about the five stages of grief and the controversy around them. We'll also discuss frameworks to help you explore your emotions the best way you see fit after the passing of a loved one.

What You'll Learn:

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How can you find hope and create a meaningful life after losing your life partner?

The reality is grief is not a linear process and feelings will shift from sorrow, to anger, to confusion to frustration.

Give yourself permission to grieve, to heal and know it is possible to move towards a positive and meaningful life after loss.

Listen as I talk about:

Resources:

Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership

Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

Widowhood has taught me so much about grief, loss and life, things I didn't know when I first came into this chaotic world and things I wish I had known.

I'm sharing these learnings with you so hopefully you can feel less like you're going mad and more like what you are feeling is normal in the world of grief.

Resources:

Join The Widows Membership:

https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership

Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/