Under The Griefluence - RESILIENT A.F. with Blair and Alana

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...

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 i...

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...

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 l...

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 a...

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 goin...

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 syste...

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 thr...

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 thei...

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, navig...

In this year-end podcast episode, Blair and Alana reflected on their personal and professional highlights and challenges of 2025. They discussed their successful book launches, including two Times Square billboard campaigns and international bestseller status, while acknowledging logistical difficulties with shipping and event planning. Alana shared her medical challenges and recovery, including e...

Chelsea Pegue’s dad died suddenly from addiction and she had to learn to live without her best friend. This journey also led her to learn why addiction takes so many lives. This is her story and she is RESILIENT A.F. Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/ About the Guest: Chelsea Pegues is a freelance writer, proofreader and editor based in the Hudson Valley region of New Yor...

In this episode, Blair Kaplan Venables and Alana Kaplan pull back the curtain on what life looks like when creativity, grief, business, and resilience all collide at once. The conversation starts in heavier territory. Blair and Alana reflect on the devastating attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, and talk openly about what it means to hold grief, fear, and resilience at the same...

Suzanna Fisher lost her Grammy, who was her best friend. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F. Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/ About the Guest: Suzanna Fisher is a tattoo artist and Seattle local. Links: w ww.bellwethertattoo.com https://www.instagram.com/suzannafisher/ ⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care...

Sara was living her dreams in Latin America with her husband Brian when a bus accident turned everything upside down; Sara broke her leg and lost five teeth, and tragically, Brian died, just one week after his 44th birthday. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F. Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/ About the Guest: Sara Clark is a facilitator, trainer, and team coach...

Alana and Blair met in Los Angeles to attend End Well and Grieftastic. End Well is a grief conference and is considered “A Day About Death & Life: For the Curious and Courageous.” The day was full of inspirational speakers, deep connections and all of the feelings. The following day was Grieftastic, a book fair with grief books, panels, networking, and a lot of laughing. This episode is a dige...

Rachel lost her dad when she was 27 years old and turned to travel as a way to heal her heart. She built an online community as a way to express her feelings, which quickly grew. Shortly after, she started leading Grief Trips around the world to show others the beauty in travelling while grieving. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F. Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/bo...

Deb Drummond is an author in the forthcoming book about tattoos of resilience, RESILIENT A.F. Skin Deep Stories, launching December 2025. Dr. Parul Dua Makkar is an author in the upcoming book, RESILIENT A.F.: Stories of Resilience Volume, launching in March 2026. Deb Drummond joins us to talk about balancing various projects, life, and everything in between. They talk about health, abundance and...

The Kaplan sisters catch up on Shayne’s health, Alana’s experience with a cat psychic, a new way to communicate their mental health superpowers, and what they've both been up to.  Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/ Grief and Resilience Expert Certification Program with Blair Kaplan Venables, information and registration: https://blairkaplan.ca/grief-resilience-expert-cert...

Heather Marianna is back on the podcast to chat with Blair about adult friendships, betrayal and a new way to make genuine adult friends. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F. Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/ Camp Manifest: https://sunshinesecretofoc.com/camp-manifest-retreat About the Guest: Heather Marianna is a powerhouse entrepreneur and the visionary founder...

Big changes happened in the Kaplan sisters lives and they dive deep into what has been going on. This episode explores life changes and medical trauma and how both sisters are navigating it all. Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/ ⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening, and don’t hesitate to...

This episode dives into the stories of two coauthors featured in RESILIENT A.F. Skin Deep Stories, Helga and BB. Helga Magdalen had to be resilient when both her mom and sister had terminal cancer diagnoses in the same time period. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F. BB Gabriel shares the story of the tattoo that she got to represent the relationship with her sisters, Tara and Bryanne and...

Kimberly Rich went from surviving to thriving after the sudden death of her mother by turning her loss into her purpose. This is her story, and she is RESILIENT A.F. Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/ About the Guest: Kimberly Rich received her doctoral degree from Creighton University with a research focus in grief and bereavement. Her journey with grief started followin...

Barri Leiner Grant was the caretaker for her dad. This is her story and she is RESILIENT A.F.   Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/ Griefy Gals on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefygals   About the Guest: Barri Leiner Grant is a well-respected grief specialist. author and founder of The Memory Circle: for those learning to live with loss. As coach, educator and advocat...

Blair and Alana sit together, literally, and share a recap of their experience at their second Emmys week gifting lounge, how the gratitude challenge unfolded and what else is going on in their RESILIENT A.F. worlds.  Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/   ⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care of yourself while listeni...