Grief is the thing with feathers. Well actually, that’s a book—a great book.
Grief is the thing no one welcomes, and everyone experiences. The thing we turn our heads from, push down in our guts, hide under stuff, stuff, and more stuff.
And it’s the topic of our next Imperfect Conversation, led by Naomi D. Williams, Grief Coach and Life Doula.*
It’s sneaky, that grief. It shows up in obvious ways, at obvious times. Like death. Divorce. Massive, unpreventable change. It reminds us there is so much over which we have no control.
Pandemic grief is real. What have you lost, what have you missed or missed out on, what have you wished for and not received over the past two-and-a-half years? If you’re lucky, you’re an introvert (like me) and found hiding in your home very comfortable indeed, thanks. But extroverts? That’s a long and lonely grief.
It also shows up in the shadows of what could have been, or what might yet be. Marlon Brando voiced grief when he said, “I coulda been a contendah.” Many of us are experiencing eco grief in this time of environmental havoc, as we see so much inaction where there needs to be hustle. It's terrifying to think of what we’re facing, what’s to come.
Grief is the hot element on the stove we don’t want to poke at. It hurts. It feels shitty. But if you just leave that element burning, well, you might lose the whole house. Naomi is offering ways to turn the heat down on the element, so you can get closer and closer to it.
If grief is caused by things we can’t control, there is power in managing the grief itself. In dimming it by addressing it—the element doesn’t turn itself off—and dealing with it head on. Gently gently.
Grief: Changing the narrative; identifying and making peace with your grief will be held on Friday, August 19th from noon to 1pm EDT.
If you’re ready to cool down that stove and talk about grief, please join us. RSVP here.
Our ImpCons are led by experts, open to anyone; conversation and engagement are encouraged. If you have questions, please email me.
ImpCons are free of charge for the moment; donations are welcome.
Is there an Imperfect Conversation you’d like to lead? Let me know. One you’d like to see us hold? Tell me, and I’ll do my best to make it happen.
*Naomi D. Williams is a perfectly imperfect person on a mission to empower individuals and families to live their best life, now. As a Life Doula, she helps people navigate and process major life altering events. Naomi believes anyone and everyone can and should lead an exceptional life. Naomi uses her experiences as a grief coach and yoga instructor to inform her work as an advocate and patient navigator.
Grief is a journey that Naomi has been on her entire life yet didn’t truly understand, recognize, acknowledge, or accept until the second quarter of 2017. While completing her grief coach and yoga instructor certifications, Naomi’s dad died suddenly and unexpectedly. While processing the loss of her dad, decades of loss not dealt with began to show up. Naomi began doing the work to address and unpack the losses and traumas experienced in childhood, in the workplace, during childbirth and in relationships.
When not advocating for her family or others, you can find Naomi getting lost exploring nature or taking a deep breath on her yoga mat.
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