Grief City

It's strange how the very things that once annoyed us about the people we love can become the things we'd give anything to experience again. After someone dies, so many of those little frustrations begin to fade. Their habits, quirks, and imperfections don't seem nearly as important anymore. You'd gladly take every one of them back if it meant you could have one more day together....

Grief can be deeply isolating. In the early days after my loss, I worked from home and spent most of my days alone. Without even realizing it, I became trapped in what I can only describe as a grief echo chamber. The more isolated I became, the louder my thoughts, fears, and emotions grew. I believe every griever needs to make space to sit with their grief. We can't heal by avoiding it. But I...

Loss changes us. Does it change everything about us? Not necessarily. But it does change us. One of the hardest parts of grief is learning to accept who you are after loss. Because accepting this new version of yourself often means accepting that they're really gone. It's complicated. It's uncomfortable. It's heartbreaking. But there can also be something beautiful in getting to kn...

Grief changing can feel almost as unsettling as grief itself. For so long, the pain feels overwhelming and ever-present. Then one day you realize you're crying less, thinking about them differently, or carrying the loss with a little less weight. And strangely, that can bring up guilt, confusion, or even fear. In this Griefy Tip, I talk about the shifting nature of grief and why those changes...

I have very mixed feelings about viewings, funerals, and memorial services. On one hand, I love that they create space to hear stories, connect with people who loved your person, and celebrate a life that mattered. On the other hand, they can be incredibly overwhelming. You're grieving one of the biggest losses of your life while simultaneously greeting dozens (or hundreds) of people, making d...

All the significant dates can feel so intense after a loss, especially the “firsts” without them. The first Christmas. The first birthday. Anniversaries, special times of the year, even the first time you do something they used to do with you. There are so many firsts. They’re never easy, but I hope this Griefy Tip reminds you to make space for your grief and all the big emotions that can flood in...

When I started working on my healing after loss, all I wanted was to feel better. I was so tired of the sadness and heaviness each day. But healing is rarely instant, and I think we need to be more gracious with ourselves in that process. Let's stay connected: 🎶 Listen to my music (Griefy Pop for your heavy heart):https://open.spotify.com/track/6KojoR...📱 Follow along on Instagram:https://ww...

When you feel grief for the first time, it's overwhelming and uncomfortable, and all you want is a fix. The tough part is… There is no fix. But there is healing. Let's stay connected: 🎶 Listen to my music (Griefy Pop for your heavy heart):https://open.spotify.com/track/6KojoR...📱 Follow along on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/newellamusic📱 Follow along on TikTok:https://www.tiktok....

Grief needs somewhere to go. In my experience, it will eventually come out in either healthy ways or unhealthy ways. Most of us experience both at different points in our grief. But I’ve found much more peace and healing when I give my grief a healthy outlet. Let's stay connected: 🎶 Listen to my music (Griefy Pop for your heavy heart):https://open.spotify.com/track/6KojoR...📱 Follow along on...

After the trauma of loss, it can be really hard to imagine that anything good could still exist in life. It becomes surprisingly easy to adopt that belief. Many of us find ourselves there at some point in grief. But it’s an important thought to challenge. Loss changes our lives deeply, but it doesn’t mean that goodness has disappeared forever. Let's stay connected: 🎶 Listen to my music (Grief...

It’s natural to feel some fear when thinking about doing things you used to do with your loved one, or doing things they loved after they’re gone. The fear that it might make you emotional is real. But sometimes those moments can also make you feel close to them again in a way you didn’t expect. Let's stay connected: 🎶 Listen to my music (Griefy Pop for your heavy heart):https://open.spotify.com/...

Healing after loss isn’t the easy, straightforward path we wish it could be. It’s messy. Some days it can feel like it will never happen. The hard truth is that healing usually doesn’t just show up one day out of nowhere. It asks something of us. It asks us to show up for it, little by little. This was one of the toughest parts of grief for me to accept, especially when I was in the depths of agon...

Why do we feel the need to apologize for having big emotions after losing someone we love? I still catch myself doing this sometimes. When we live in a world that doesn’t always know how to respond to grief, it’s easy to start explaining ourselves, minimizing our feelings, or apologizing for them. But this is loss. There is nothing to apologize for. Your grief doesn’t need to be justified, and you...

Jealousy is one of those emotions I grew up believing was bad, bad, bad. And in a lot of situations, it probably is. But in grief, I think it can be a very normal thing to experience. It’s hard to watch other people still have their loved ones here and see them do all the things you wish you could still do with yours. If that feeling shows up for you, try not to shame yourself for it. Meet it with...

Grief is more than just an emotional experience — it’s a physical one too. This is one part of grief I really struggle with because it can come with real physical discomfort and pain. Grief doesn’t just live in our hearts; it lives in our bodies. When we’re aware of that, it’s important to take small steps to care for ourselves physically too — rest, movement, breathing, whatever support your body...

This is one of those “I didn’t expect to feel this way” parts of grief. In the early days after my loss, crowded rooms and social gatherings felt incredibly hard. I could be surrounded by people and still feel completely alone. If you’ve experienced that too, you’re not strange, and you’re not broken. It’s actually a very normal part of grief. Let's stay connected: 🎶 Listen to my music (Grief...

Sometimes, keeping holiday traditions is exactly what helps us feel close to the ones we miss. Other times, creating something new is what brings peace during this season. There’s no right or wrong way to move through the holidays—only what feels right for you. But I want to encourage you to try something new. You might be surprised by the peace and joy that can come from a new tradition.

This is a big one. If you’ve been listening to the podcast long enough, you know I believe in setting boundaries—while also not being so rigid that they become walls. That said, this is one boundary I feel strongly about. It’s especially important during the holiday season, but honestly, it matters year-round. Will we encounter people throughout our lives who don’t honor our grief or who say insen...

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed that as significant dates and holidays approach, my grief tends to swell—especially when I’m not giving it space to be felt. This Griefy Tip is all about that. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll permit yourself to feel whatever comes up this season. Buried grief has a way of surfacing in forms that don’t serve us. It’s a tender time—let yourself process...

This holiday season can hold both beauty and heartbreak after losing a loved one. It’s incredibly hard to accept that two opposite truths can exist at the same time. Often, it feels easier to immerse ourselves in just one of those truths, because holding both can be uncomfortable. But as we open our hearts to the difficulties of this season—and also open our eyes to its moments of beauty—I hope yo...

The holiday season can feel especially heavy without the ones we love. During these tender times, setting boundaries is essential—but do they always need to be rigid? In this new Griefy Tip, I’m sharing how to honor your needs while still allowing room for connection and compassion. You don't have to do this grief journey alone. Let's stay connected: 🎶 Listen to my music (Griefy Pop for y...

I used to believe that the daily agony I felt after my loss would last for the rest of my existence—truly, I did. But there came a point when my heart slowly began to heal, and the constant agony eased. You’d think that would make anyone feel better, yet when it started happening, it filled me with guilt. It was strange. As the daily misery began to fade, I felt like I was leaving my dad behind. B...

Wow. What a season.  So many tears, so many moments of healing, laughter, and connection. So many important conversations. I feel nothing but deep gratitude—for you, for every guest I had the privilege of speaking with this season, and for the ability to create something meaningful out of a tragedy I once thought would break me completely. I didn’t know if I’d ever find purpose or peace again. I a...

After my loss, I was highly motivated… to stay sad and hide under the covers all day. But motivation for work, projects, or even the things that were supposed to help me heal? That was a whole different struggle. In today’s Griefy Tip, I’m talking about that tug-of-war—wanting to heal but feeling completely stuck. I’m sharing my own experience and a simple, practical piece of advice that might hel...

Grief needs to be expressed — it can’t stay locked inside. When it goes unprocessed, it often finds its way out later in ways that can be painful or confusing, both for you and for those around you. You’ve probably heard the phrase  “you have to process your losses”  — and for good reason. We can’t go around grief; we have to move through it. Healing does come, but it isn’t easy. It’s uncomfortabl...