There’s a version of grief we don’t talk about enough.

Not the big, obvious, life-shattering moments.Not the ones people bring casseroles for.

We are talking about the random Tuesday grief.The “We thought we were okay” grief.The “why does this still hurt?” grief.

The Anniversary You Didn’t Plan For

A year ago, March 29 started as a really good day.

A day date for Blair and Shayne.A meaningful event.One of those days where life feels full.

And then it flipped.

Their cat, Frey, went into distress. He had a stroke. He was two years old.They had to put him down.

Just like that.

And if you’ve ever lost a pet, you know this already: They aren’t “just animals.”

They are anchors. Nervous system regulators. Tiny, furry therapists who never send invoices.

Frey was named after our mom. Her Hebrew name is Freda. So, losing him wasn’t just losing a cat. It cracked open an older grief. A deeper one.

Grief doesn’t stay in its lane. It travels in packs.

“She’s a Lemon” and Other Things We Shouldn’t Say

Meanwhile, Alana had her own griefy moment.

Her soul cat, Molly, has been dealing with serious health issues.At the vet, a student casually referred to her as a “lemon.”

A lemon.

Let’s pause there.

Because language matters. Especially in grief. Especially in care.

You wouldn’t call a human with chronic illness a lemon.You wouldn’t reduce a living, breathing being to a defective object.

And yet, grief has this way of revealing how uncomfortable people are with vulnerability, illness, and anything that isn’t “fixable.”

Molly isn’t a lemon.She’s loved. She’s cared for. She’s still here.

And honestly, so are you.

Why Grief Feels Louder Around Holidays and Transitions

Passover is coming. Family-centred moments. Traditions. Memories.

And if you’re grieving? These times can feel like emotional landmines.

Add in travel, burnout, big projects, health stuff, and suddenly your nervous system is like:

“Hi. We are not okay.”

Grief gets louder when:

* Seasons change

* You slow down

* You’re tired

* You’re in between big life moments

In other words, grief shows up exactly when you don’t have the bandwidth for it.

Rude. But predictable.

The Hidden Layer: High-Functioning Grief

Here’s what’s wild.

While all of this is happening, we are also:

* Leading grief retreats in Bali

* Working on major career-defining opportunities

* Launching books

* Building a global movement

Because grief and ambition are not opposites.

They coexist.

You can be building something massive and still feel like your heart is quietly breaking in the background.

That doesn’t make you weak. That makes you human.

The Truth You Might Need Today

You are not behind.You are not broken.You are definitely not a lemon.

You are someone who has loved.Someone who has lost.Someone who is still showing up anyway.

That’s resilience.

Not the shiny, inspirational quote version. The real version. The messy one. The “I cried and still answered emails” version.

Grief doesn’t mean you’re going backwards.

It means something mattered.

And if you’re in it right now, reading this, wondering why today feels heavier than it should…

You’re not alone. You’re just human. And you are very RESILIENT A.F.!

You’re officially under the Griefluence,

X Blair + Alana

P.S. Send us extra vibes for April 9th. Thanks!

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

You are getting this email from Substack because you are on our email list for The Global Resilience Project. We will be sending out a few of these short posts/episodes a week. If our content no longer has a home in your inbox, we invite you to unsubscribe (at the bottom of this email). We will miss you and understand. If you choose to stick around, we are grateful for your love and support.

What Does “Under the Griefluence” Actually Mean?

Sometimes grief doesn’t look like crying in the corner.

Sometimes it looks like launching a global book, travelling the world, showing up for your community… and then crying over cat poop on your living room floor.

Welcome to being human.

In this episode, we pulled back the curtain on what it really looks like to live “under the griefluence”, that invisible layer where grief, stress, growth, and life all collide at once.

And if you’ve ever felt like you just can’t catch your breath, this one’s for you.

Grief Doesn’t Pause for Success

Let’s set the scene.

In the span of a few weeks:

* A grief retreat was led in the Maldives

* Grief Week was honoured in Mexico

* A global book launched in Times Square

* An Oscars Week opportunity in LA came out of nowhere

From the outside? Iconic.

Behind the scenes? Nervous system chaos.

Because here’s the truth no one talks about enough: You can be doing meaningful, successful, purpose-driven work… and still feel completely dysregulated.

Grief doesn’t wait for a convenient moment. It weaves itself into everything, even the milestones.

When Your Nervous System Says “Absolutely Not”

There’s a point where your body just taps out.

For us, it looked like:

* Flight delays and travel stress

* Getting physically sick

* Overstimulation and exhaustion

* Emotional overwhelm showing up at the most random moments

And then… life added a little extra spice.

Sick cats. Emergency vet visits. Zero sleep. And yes, literal chaos involving pet accidents that pushed us both right to the edge.

Not glamorous. Not curated. Very real.

This is what nervous system dysregulation actually looks like.

Not just stress, but your body saying, “We need to slow this down immediately.”

How We Regulate When Life Feels Like Too Much

Here’s the part that matters.

Not perfection. Not pushing through.

Regulation.

Instead of forcing productivity, we leaned into simple, grounding tools:

* Going for walks

* Canceling plans without guilt

* Resting and napping

* Stepping away from the noise of the internet

* Creative outlets like coloring, learning, and listening to books

Nothing fancy. No biohacking required.

Just small, intentional choices that tell your body:You are safe. You can slow down.

And that’s where resilience actually lives.

The Reality of Grief Anniversaries

Every year, we intentionally create space for grief.

We call it Grief Week, marking the anniversaries of losing both of our parents.

And while it includes warmth, connection, and even beautiful travel, it also carries weight.

Because grief anniversaries don’t just bring memories.

They bring:

* Emotional sensitivity

* Physical exhaustion

* Unexpected triggers

* A deep need for rest and reflection

If you feel “off” around certain dates and can’t explain why, this might be it.

Your body remembers, even when your mind tries to move on.

Resilience Isn’t Clean or Aesthetic

Let’s clear something up.

Resilience is not:

* Always being strong

* Holding it all together

* Looking polished while everything falls apart

Resilience is:

* Crying when you’re overwhelmed

* Asking for help

* Taking a nap instead of pushing through

* Laughing at the chaos, even when it’s messy

Sometimes resilience looks like building a global movement.

Sometimes it looks like surviving the day.

Both count.

What’s Next (And Why It Matters)

In the middle of all this, something incredible happened.

RESILIENT A.F.: Stories of Resilience Volume 3 officially launched.

And the momentum is building:

* Volume 4 is underway

* Skin Deep Stories 2 is coming next

* The community is evolving and moving to Substack

* More stories, more voices, more impact

Because at the core of everything we do is this belief:

Sharing stories heals. Community strengthens. And resilience is something we build together.

If You’re Feeling Overwhelmed Right Now

Let this be your reminder:

You don’t need to have it all figured out.You don’t need to push harder.You don’t need to pretend you’re okay when you’re not.

You just need to take the next small step.

Drink water. Go outside. Cancel the thing. Rest.

And trust this:

You are going to be okay.

You are resilient AF.

You’re officially under the Griefluence,

X Blair + Alana

P.S. You are getting this email from Substack because you are on our email list for The Global Resilience Project. We will be sending out a few of these short posts/episodes a week. If our content no longer has a home in your inbox, we invite you to unsubscribe (at the bottom of this email). We will miss you and understand. If you choose to stick around, we are grateful for your love and support.

P.P.S. Support the community and buy Resilient A.F.: Stories of Resilience Vol. 3.

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

What happens when you finally slow down and grief still doesn’t do what you expected?

In this episode of Under the Griefluence, Blair Kaplan Venables and Alana get honest about rest, resistance, self-care, and the myth that healing or creativity follows a tidy timeline.

From the Maldives to the couch, from unfinished book proposals to bubble baths and disco balls, this conversation is a reminder that grief does not care about your to-do list.

And sometimes, that’s the point.

Grief, Rest, and Letting Go of the Productivity Myth

Blair recorded this episode while in the Maldives, intentionally stepping away from a very full life. A life that recently includes publishing a book, managing her husband’s health challenges, travelling nonstop, and holding space for a global grief community.

The original plan was simple on paper: long flights, uninterrupted time, and meaningful progress on a prescriptive memoir built around the Navigating Grief Framework.

What actually happened was sleep. A lot of it.

Instead of writing through the flights, Blair’s body did what bodies do when they finally feel safe enough to rest. It shut everything down. Between exhaustion, emotional load, and a Shameless binge, the expected “productive breakthrough” never arrived.

And that became the real lesson.

Grief does not perform on demand. Healing is not linear. And rest is not a failure.

Writing a Book While Living a Life

The book Blair and Alana are working on is deeply personal. It is a prescriptive memoir rooted in lived experience, neuroscience, and the Navigating Grief Framework. The intention of the Maldives trip was not perfection, but clarity. To understand what still needs to be written and what can wait.

What surfaced instead was something more honest.

Sometimes the work is not producing pages. Sometimes the work is noticing resistance, honouring exhaustion, and letting yourself be human inside the process.

Blair also shared that a more serious update will come once she leaves the Maldives. Grief, as always, has layers. And not all of them are ready to be spoken out loud yet.

Unexpected Connections and Grief in Small Moments

The episode also captures the quiet, human moments that often hold more healing than the big plans.

Blair talked about meeting two fellow travellers, Marcel and Paulina, who taught her how to play backgammon. About wandering the island, observing local culture, and adjusting to the intense humidity. About navigating suspected allergies made worse by air conditioning.

And then there was Eileen.

A calico cat who appeared during the trip and immediately reminded Blair of her late mother’s cat, Zena. One of those moments that hits you out of nowhere. A reminder that grief travels with us, even to paradise, and shows up in the smallest, most unexpected ways.

Alana’s Version of Grief Care

While Blair was across the world, Alana was practicing her own version of care.

She finished watching Survivor, leaned into colouring, read a book, and tested out a new bubble bath. Different geography, same intention. Gentle regulation. Comfort without productivity pressure.

They joked about sunscreen, humidity, and the idea of trading immunity for an invitation, but underneath the humour was a shared truth. Grief does not require dramatic gestures. Sometimes it asks for quiet routines that make your nervous system feel a little safer.

Built From Broken Pieces: When Grief Becomes Art

The episode also marked the launch of Blair and Alana’s new limited-edition clothing collection, Built From Broken Pieces.

The collection includes graphic tees, hoodies, and cozy staples featuring a disco ball design. A visual metaphor for resilience. Shattered, reflective, and still capable of catching the light.

The line is available for a short time only and launched with a 20 percent discount using the code GRIEFMONTH. Feedback from early buyers has already been deeply affirming, with many sharing how seen they feel wearing the message.

This is not just merch. It is wearable language for people who have survived things they never asked for.

A Global Grief Community Is Gathering

Blair also shared her excitement about an upcoming grief trip that includes participants from seven different countries. A reminder that grief is universal, even though it looks different everywhere.

The next episode of Under the Griefluence will be recorded during that trip, bringing listeners into the experience in real time.

What This Episode Really Teaches

This conversation is not about checking boxes. It is about releasing the idea that grief healing should look productive, polished, or impressive.

Sometimes the most honest work is rest.Sometimes the most radical act is stopping.Sometimes healing looks like sleep, cats, colouring books, and disco balls.

And sometimes, being under the griefluence means admitting you didn’t do what you planned, and loving yourself anyway.

If you are navigating grief, burnout, or emotional overload, this episode is your permission slip to soften the timeline.

And if you are ready to wear your resilience, Built From Broken Pieces is waiting for you.

You’re officially under the Griefluence.

X Blair + Alana

P.S. Are you like us (and disco balls), and built from broken pieces? Check out our recent, limited-edition drop.

Under The Griefluence is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Grief does not always announce itself.

Sometimes it shows up quietly, influencing choices in the background. What someone watches on a long flight. How they spend their energy. Why a reality TV marathon suddenly feels essential. Why movement, distraction, or structure becomes non-negotiable.

In a recent Under the Griefluence check-in, Blair Kaplan Venables and her sister Alana explore what grief looks like when it is not dramatic, public, or performative, but still very present.

This episode and reflection center on the subtle ways grief shapes behaviour, especially during travel, downtime, and moments when the nervous system is asking for regulation more than insight.

What It Means to Be “Under the Griefluence”

Being under the griefluence means grief is not front and center, but it is still influencing decisions.

People are functioning.They are showing up.They are living their lives.

But their choices look different.

They may travel more or less.They may binge-watch familiar shows.They may turn everyday activities into games just to maintain momentum.

This is not avoidance.It is adaptation.

Grief often shifts behaviour long before it becomes emotional language.

Travel, Grief, and the Need for Familiar Distraction

While travelling through Hong Kong en route to the Maldives for a grief trip, Blair shared how long-haul travel can amplify emotional fatigue. Extended flights remove structure, disrupt routines, and leave the nervous system suspended in a kind of emotional limbo.

During a 14-hour flight, she watched Shameless continuously.

Not for inspiration.Not for meaning.

For regulation.

For many people navigating grief, familiar television becomes less about entertainment and more about emotional containment. Predictable storylines, dark humour, and familiar characters can help stabilize the nervous system when everything else feels uncertain.

This is a common and valid grief response.

Survivor Marathons

At the same time, Alana shared that she watched 27 to 29 episodes of Survivor over three days. She is currently rewatching all 49 seasons before the next season airs.

She pairs watching with colouring, word games, and tracking progress. Each episode contributes to a larger goal.

What might sound excessive on the surface reveals something deeper: structure restores agency.

Fandom, Identity, and Continuity After Loss

Being a day-one fan of a show like Survivor is not just about entertainment. It represents continuity, identity, and belonging. When grief destabilizes a person’s sense of self, familiar rituals and long-standing interests can serve as emotional anchors.

Grief does not erase identity, but it often forces people to renegotiate who they are. Familiar stories and rituals remind them of who they have been across different chapters of life.

Grief Does Not Have a Correct Form

This conversation is not about prescribing how grief should look. It is about normalizing how grief already operates.

Many people cope by:

* Watching the same shows repeatedly

* Travelling during emotionally heavy periods

* Turning daily life into structured games

* Seeking distraction without guilt

These behaviours do not mean someone is avoiding grief. They often mean they are surviving it.

A Question For You

What have you done recently while under the griefluence?

There is no hierarchy of grief responses. There is only honesty, adaptation, and learning how to live alongside loss.

More Under the Griefluence check-ins are coming, including updates from the Maldives. Grief may influence the choices people make, but it does not define their failure or success.

It simply asks for gentleness.

You’re officially under the Griefluence.

X Blair + Alana

P.S. You are getting this email from Substack because you are on our email list for The Global Resilience Project. We will be sending out a few of these short posts/episodes a week. If our content no longer has a home in your inbox, we invite you to unsubscribe (at the bottom of this email). We will miss you and understand. If you choose to stick around, we are grateful for your love and support.

P.P.S. Are you like us (and disco balls), and built from broken pieces? Check out our recent, limited-edition drop.

Under The Griefluence is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

February is Grief Month around here.Not the official kind. The lived-in, personal, quietly heavy kind.

In this bonus episode, Blair Kaplan Venables and her sister Alana Kaplan sit down to talk about what February has come to mean for them, how their grief rituals have evolved, and why sometimes the most healing plan is having no plan at all.

Why February Is Grief Month for Us

February holds the anniversaries of both of our parents’ deaths.

February 18 is “Dead Dad Day.”February 23 is “Dead Mom Day.”

These aren’t dates we chose lightly, and they aren’t labels meant to shock. They’re shorthand. A way of naming something heavy without pretending it’s lighter than it is.

This year marks the fourth anniversary of our dad’s death and the fifth anniversary of our mom’s. And while grief doesn’t disappear with time, the way we move through it has shifted.

Less structure.Less expectation.More listening to what our nervous systems actually need.

Grief Week, Year Four (and Five, Unofficially)

Every year around this time, we meet somewhere warm. What started as a promise to each other after our parents died has turned into an annual ritual we lovingly call Grief Week or, as we’ve nicknamed it, Spring Break for Sad People.

This year, it’s Puerto Vallarta.

Not for sightseeing.Not for productivity.Not for transformation.

We’re staying at an all-inclusive resort because grief is exhausting and decision-making is overrated when your heart is tired. The goal is simple: be sad and warm together.

No jeans.Minimal plans.Maximum ease.

Sometimes healing looks like rest, room service, and not asking yourself to be anything other than human.

How Grief Changes Over Time

In the early years, grief anniversaries required planning. Intentional rituals. Emotional scaffolding just to get through the day.

Now, there’s more flexibility.

Some years call for ceremony.Some years call for distraction.Some years call for lying by a pool and letting the waves do the regulating.

There is no right way to mark a grief anniversary. There is only the way that meets you where you are now, not where you think you should be.

Boundaries During Grief Are Not Optional

One of the most important parts of this conversation was about boundaries.

Grief doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like canceling plans. Saying no. Pulling inward. Choosing rest over explanation.

And not everyone understands that.

Blair shared a recent experience of canceling plans during Grief Month and being confronted for it. The reminder here matters: you do not owe anyone productivity, cheerfulness, or availability while you are grieving.

Your boundaries are allowed to exist even when others are uncomfortable with them.

Especially then.

If You’re Navigating Grief Anniversaries Right Now

Here’s what we want you to hear:

You don’t have to do this “well.”You don’t have to honor your grief publicly.You don’t have to explain your needs.

You can mark the day quietly.You can ignore the calendar entirely.You can cry, travel, rest, work, or do nothing at all.

Grief Month isn’t about performing sadness. It’s about giving yourself permission to feel what’s already there.

A Final Word for Grief Month

If February is heavy for you, too, you’re not alone.

Honour your grief in whatever way feels right.Choose ease where you can.Be sad and warm if possible.

And if all you manage is getting through the day, that counts.

Happy Grief Month.We’re right here with you.

You’re officially under the Griefluence.

X Blair + Alana

P.S. You are getting this email from Substack because you are on our email list for The Global Resilience Project. We will be sending out a few of these short posts/episodes a week. If our content no longer has a home in your inbox, we invite you to unsubscribe (at the bottom of this email). We will miss you and understand. If you choose to stick around, we are grateful for your love and support.

P.P.S. Are you like us (and disco balls), and built from broken pieces? Check out our recent, limited-edition drop.

Under The Griefluence is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

If you’ve ever wished someone would just say the thing you’re thinking out loud, this is for you.

Under the Griefluence is a bonus audio and written series from Blair and Alana, released 1 to 2 times a week alongside the RESILIENT AF podcast. These episodes are short, personal, and intentionally imperfect. Think voice notes, not polished performances.

This is where we talk about what’s really going on. In our lives. In our bodies. In the world. And how all of it intersects with grief, resilience, growth, and being human in a very loud, very complicated time.

Sometimes these episodes are reflections.Sometimes they’re updates.Sometimes they’re us processing something in real time because pretending we have it all figured out never helped anyone.

What is Under the Griefluence?

Under the Griefluence is a space for honest check-ins about life, loss, resilience, and meaning. It’s conversational. It’s real. It’s the kind of content that feels like a friend saying, “Hey, I’ve been thinking about this, and I wanted to tell you.”

You’ll hear about:

* What we’re navigating personally

* What’s happening in the world and how it’s impacting our nervous systems

* Lessons we’re learning the hard way

* Conversations we’d be having if you were sitting across from us with a coffee

No toxic positivity.No hustle-through-it advice.Just grounded, human conversations about resilience as a lived experience.

What is The Global Resilience Project?

The Global Resilience Project is a global storytelling and education platform dedicated to helping people strengthen their resilience muscle through honesty, connection, and practical tools.

At its core, the project exists to normalize conversations about grief, adversity, mental health, and growth. We believe resilience isn’t something you’re born with or without. It’s something you build over time through awareness, support, and practice.

Through books, podcasts, speaking, coaching, community, and education, The Global Resilience Project shares real stories from real people around the world and pairs them with frameworks and tools that help others navigate life’s hardest seasons.

Under the Griefluence is where you get the behind-the-scenes version of that work. The moments between the milestones. The feelings behind the mission.

What you’ll get here

By subscribing to Under the Griefluence, you’ll receive:

* 1 to 2 short bonus episodes or posts per week

* Personal reflections from Blair and Alana

* Honest conversations about grief, resilience, and the state of the world

* Simple, practical tools you can use to strengthen your resilience muscle in daily life

* A reminder that you’re not alone in what you’re feeling

This isn’t about fixing yourself.It’s about understanding yourself.And learning how to keep moving forward with compassion, clarity, and support.

Who this is for

This space is for you if:

* You’re navigating grief, change, burnout, or uncertainty

* You want resilience tools that actually work in real life

* You’re tired of being told to “just stay positive”

* You want to feel seen, understood, and less alone

If you’ve ever thought, “Is it just me, or is this all a lot?” — welcome. You’re in the right place.

Pull up a chair.Listen in.You’re officially under the Griefluence.

X Blair + Alana

P.S. You are getting this email from Substack because you are on our email list for The Global Resilience Project. We will be sending out a few of these short posts/episodes a week. If our content no longer has a home in your inbox, we invite you to unsubscribe (at the bottom of this email). We will miss you and understand. If you choose to stick around, we are grateful for your love and support.

The Creation of a TV Show - BTS with Blair + Alana is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this deeply grounding episode, Blair Kaplan Venables sits down with Alexis Hart, a seasoned death care professional with over a decade of experience walking This conversation moves fluidly between the practical and the sacred, touching on death literacy, professional burnout, cultural rituals, and the surprising ways redwoods, coastal air, and honest conversations can regulate the nervous system.

Alexis shares how an early fascination with death, fueled by Forensic Files and a family discovery that her great-grandmother was a mortician, led her into mortuary school and beyond. Her career spans hospice volunteering, medical examiner cases, forensic pathology, and holistic grief care, giving her a rare, full-spectrum view of the end-of-life process.

Blair and Alexis also discuss how death and grief conversations are slowly becoming more normalized in culture, similar to the shift we’ve seen around mental health, yet still deeply underserved.

A recurring theme in this episode is the role of community. Alexis emphasizes that grief was never meant to be carried privately and that conversation and ritual are essential tools for integration, not indulgences.

She shares a powerful story of being present for someone’s final moments and how those experiences forever change how you see time, relationships, and what actually matters.

Blair and Alexis bond over their shared love of nature, from hiking and birdwatching to living near redwoods. Alexis explains the science behind time in green spaces, including reduced cortisol, improved immune function, and nervous system regulation, while also honoring the ineffable, spiritual healing that happens when humans remember they are part of the natural world.

This is grief support without fluorescent lighting or folding chairs.

This episode is a reminder that grief is not a problem to solve, but a process to be witnessed. It invites listeners to rethink how we approach death, how we support one another, and how healing often begins when we slow down enough to listen, to nature, to our bodies, and to each other.

If this episode resonated, share it with someone navigating loss or working in a helping profession. Grief grows lighter when it’s carried together.

And yes, if you’re ever offered a drive through the redwoods after a hard conversation about mortality, say yes. Always say yes.

Sponsorship opportunities: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15oZsxAigvb6e4wbAmvW_El_1_laeyK4shMY1md6zVWI/edit?usp=sharing

Subscribe to our Substack: https://theglobalresilienceproject.substack.com/

Buy our books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/

About the Guest:

Alexis Hart, a Los Angeles native, is a seasoned death care professional with over a decade of experience across various facets of end-of-life and death care. Her extensive background spans mortuary and cemetery services, medical examiner, hospice, and forensic pathology, establishing her as a guiding light during families' darkest moments. She is currently the Chief Healing Officer at Prism Memorial.

Passionate about nature, Alexis seamlessly integrates its healing power into her work, enhancing the support she provides to those in need. She blends ritual, creativity, and compassion to craft meaningful, inclusive spaces where grief is honored as both personal and collective, sacred and transformative.

With a deep commitment to inclusivity and healing justice, she helps shape spaces where all stories are honored, and grief becomes a...

Get full access to The Global Resilience Project at theglobalresilienceproject.substack.com/subscribe

What happens when grief doesn’t come one loss at a time, but hits you in waves, back-to-back, with no recovery window?

In this deeply honest episode of RESILIENT A.F., Blair sits down with Amanda McKoy Flanagan to talk about compound grief, sobriety, marriage, and what it really takes to keep going when life keeps taking. Amanda shares her experience of losing five close family members in just three years, how those losses nearly unraveled her marriage, and why facing grief sober changed everything.

This conversation is raw, grounding, and surprisingly hopeful. It’s about grief that doesn’t fit neatly into timelines, the quiet strength of supportive partners, and the courage it takes to look inward instead of numbing out.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “doing grief right” (spoiler: there’s no such thing), this episode will feel like a long exhale.

After moving from New York to Colorado, Amanda experienced an overwhelming series of losses, including the deaths of her brother, cousin, and former partner. She opens up about how grief stacked on top of grief impacted her emotional health, identity, and marriage.

Blair reflects on her own experience with compound loss and speaks candidly about navigating grief while sober, a path that removes the numbing but amplifies the truth.

Amanda and Blair explore the difference between grieving in active addiction versus grieving with full emotional presence. Together, they unpack what it means to sit with pain instead of escaping it, and why sobriety can be both brutal and deeply healing when loss hits.

Amanda shares a pivotal moment when her husband, Jim, recognized that something wasn’t right and suggested marriage counselling. What followed was resistance, realization, and ultimately repair.

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not broken, they’re grieving. And if you’re ready to go deeper into these conversations, make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss an episode that tells the truth out loud.

Sponsorship opportunities: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15oZsxAigvb6e4wbAmvW_El_1_laeyK4shMY1md6zVWI/edit?usp=sharing

Subscribe to our Substack: https://theglobalresilienceproject.substack.com/

Buy our Books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/

About the Guest:

A native New Yorker turned Coloradan, Amanda McKoy Flanagan masterfully combines urban insights with a nature-inspired philosophy in her approach to love and loss. Certified intuitive loss + empowerment coach, writing coach, energy healer, and retreat leader, Amanda is the author of the award-winning inspirational memoir Trust Yourself to Be All In: Safe to Love and Let Go and host of the Sol Rising podcast. Empowering individuals to navigate life's toughest transitions with clarity, healing, and creative expression, Amanda focuses on holistic wellness, guiding clients toward emotional and spiritual recovery by releasing trauma and regaining balance. Offering a transformative approach to living fully, Amanda provides actionable insights for overcoming challenges by embracing the power of one’s own inner wisdom, natural resilience, and capacity for change.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/amandamckoyflanagan

https://www.instagram.com/solrisingpodcast

https://www.facebook.com/amandamckoyflanagan

https://m.youtube.com/@thesolrisingpodcast

https://www.amandamckoyflanagan.com/

⚠️ Content Note:...

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In this episode of Resilient AF, hosts Blair and Alana interviewed Dr. Tasha Faruqui and her daughter, Soraya, about their experiences with Mr. Main, a beloved teacher who passed away from illness. Soraya shared her ability to communicate with spirits and her close relationship with Mr. Main, who provided her support during a difficult time at school. Tasha discussed Soraya's unique gifts and their family's approach to discussing spirituality. The conversation also touched on Soraya's current health challenges, living in Hospice, and her message of advice for other teens facing similar situations. This is their story and Tasha and Soraya are RESILIENT A.F.

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About the Guests:

Dr. Tasha Faruqui is a pediatrician, speaker, advocate, and author of Keep Your Head Up: A Mother’s Story of Chasing Joy in the Face of Grief (Jossey-Bass, 2025). Inspired by her father, a doctor to an underserved rural community, Tasha joined the National Health Service Corps after medical school. However, her focus shifted when her daughter Soraya was born with a rare genetic disorder. Tasha is now a passionate advocate for parents of medically complex children and those experiencing anticipatory grief, regularly sharing her message of hope at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish events, and on Instagram (@thefaruqui5). She was named a top doctor by Cincinnati Magazine in 2022, 2024, and 2025. Connect and learn more at www.tashafaruqui.com.

Soraya

Soraya is 13 years old, and she is a kind, trendy girlie who loves so many things it’s almost impossible to list them all. She loves makeup, nail designs, graphic novels, dolls, and games on my iPad/ Computer. Her favorite games are Toca Boca and SIMS. She also loves hanging out with her family and friends. Soraya was born with a rare genetic disease that impacts the TAOK1 gene. Little is known about the disease; however, for Soraya, it is progressive and is similar to ALS. She is currently in hospice and making the best out of every moment. Soraya is most proud of her job as a Youth Equity Ambassador, where she connects with other individuals with disabilities across the world and advocates for accessible spaces.

⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening, and don’t hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional if needed.

About the Hosts: 

Blair Kaplan Venables is a British Columbia-based grief and resilience expert and coach, motivational speaker and the Founder of The Global Resilience Project. Her expertise has been featured on media platforms like Forbes, TEDx, CBC Radio, Entrepreneur, and Thrive Global. She is named the Top Grief and Resilience Expert of the Year 2024 by IAOTP. USA Today listed Blair as one of the top 10 conscious female leaders to watch and she empowers others to be resilient from stages around the world. 'MyStory,’ which is a television show available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Google Play, showcases Blair's life story. She is the host of the Radical Resilience podcast and specializes in helping people strengthen their resilience muscle using scientifically proven methods and guides grieving high performers with her Navigating Grief Framework. The Global Resilience Project’s award-winning book series are international bestsellers, and her fourth book, RESILIENT A.F.: Stories of Resilience Vol 2, will be published in January 2025. In her free time, you can find Blair writing, in nature,...

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In this deeply honest and unexpectedly funny episode, sisters and co-founders Blair and Alana kick off 2026 by unpacking the emotional hangover of 2025. From grief anniversaries and health scares to TV obsessions, bowel updates (yes, really), and big audacious dreams, this conversation is a reminder that resilience is rarely tidy and never boring.

They talk about honouring their late mother, navigating the heaviness of the holidays, managing bodies that hold stress in strange places, and why it is okay to celebrate wins even when grief still sits at the table. The episode also pulls back the curtain on what is coming next for The Global Resilience Project, including books, billboards, a TV show in development, and a bold Q1 vision for 2026.

Equal parts reflective, irreverent, and forward-looking, this episode is for anyone who survived last year and is trying to move into the next one with presence, humour, and intention.

In This Episode, They Talk About:

1. Why December was emotionally and financially heavy and how that shaped the start of 2026
2. Honouring Sharon’s birthday with cake, Greek food, and ritual, even when life does not pause
3. How grief changes the holidays and why the absence of traditions can hit harder than expected
4. EMDR training, nervous system regulation, and doing healing work while still living real life
5. Somatized emotions, inflammation, and listening to what your body is trying to say
6. Canadian healthcare realities and the rise of health apps as a first line of reassurance
7. Alana’s very committed relationship with her bowel movements and her quest for answers
8. Survivor fandom, Season 50 dreams, and Blair offering to DM a former cast member
9. What Blair and Shayne are binge-watching and why streaming convenience is a blessing and a curse
10. TV shows that surprised us, including low-budget stories with global impact
11. Behind-the-scenes realities of TV production and what Anatomy of Lies revealed
12. The comedy series Blair and Alana have been developing for nearly a year, and what comes next
13. What it really means to turn grief into business without bypassing the pain
14. Blair’s Q1 2026 goal of signing a TV deal and how the pitch process works
15. The upcoming Substack that will share the real, messy, hilarious parts of building this work
16. A prescriptive memoir in progress rooted in the Navigating Grief Framework
17. Vision boards, chosen words for the year, and why presence beats pressure
18. What is launching next for The Global Resilience Project, including books, speaking, merch, and events
19. 
    
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