Widow 180 The Podcast with Jen Zwinck

Are you feeling stuck? Having trouble believing that you will ever be able to move forward? Stuck in a place of fear and indecision? Let's talk. Mentioned in this episode: Grab your spot in the Miracle Month 4 week group coaching program! We kick off Monday March 4, 2024! For more info go to www.widow180.com/miraclemonth Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www...

Kim Seewald is our special guest this week on the podcast!  She is sharing her story of losing her husband to cancer and how she has navigated the changes that came along with widowhood, including building a house, selling a car, moving, selling property, and learning how to manage her new life without her husband. Kim's positive attitude and motivation to make her husband proud are what keep...

How will YOU be spending Valentine's Day this year?   If you're dreading Valentine's Day this year, it's totally understandable. But, instead of making this a day of suffering and sadness, let's make it a day of treating yourself and doing something special! This is a list of 3 ways to celebrate Valentine's Day as a widow. Remember, you control this day. You have the...

It's already February. Valentine's Day is coming up. For many widows, it's a time when we start to think about new love and new relationships. Maybe you're at that point, and maybe you're not quite ready for that. Either way, you will want to listen to today's episode where we talk about WHY you want to start dating again. We will doing the work and asking some import...

What are you fed up with? What are you sick and tired of? Today, we're going to be getting really honest with ourselves and do a deep dive into our own habits, our own thoughts, our patterns that we've fallen into.  Maybe there are some aspects of your life that you're not happy about. Are you unhappy at work? Are you holding onto things in your house, like items or clutter, that yo...

This is such a special interview with our guest this week, Leila Salisbury, who lost her husband suddenly to suicide, leaving her to raise their daughter. Her story is one of courage and resilience and you don't want to miss it! Leila and I chat about: ~How to navigate through grief when the marriage wasn't so great. ~How she found help in unexpected places, as a solo-parent living in a...

This is a short but sweet, Quick Tip Tuesday episode to serve as a reminder to you just how awesome you are! Widows will often say to me, "Am I going to feel this way forever? I thought I should be better by now. I don't see how things are getting better for me." Let's dig deeper into these questions and thoughts. You're doing so much better than you think you are! Be sure...

Welcome back listeners! It's been a while since I posted an episode on Widow 180 and I am thrilled to be back! It's a new year, new changes, new direction, and tons of brand new interviews and episodes coming your way each and every week! Happy New Year to all of you! As we step into a new year, we always want to look forward with optimism, with hope that the new year will be brighter, b...

This episode was inspired by our Widow Squad group coaching discussion about how our relationships with others have changed since we lost our partner.  We will sometimes notice a shift in our relationships with friends and family, at the time when we need them the most!  So, ask yourself THIS ONE question to infuse some peace and calm into your life!  You have the power to control your own happine...

This episode is one that was just too juicy to pass up! This is an episode from the Widow Squad Podcast, where we get the inside scoop on what it's like navigating the dating world as a widow.  I hope you enjoy these stories of second chances at love. I hope this encourages you that there can be happiness, joy, and even unexpected love after loss. If you would like to join us in the 4 week Re...

One of the common things I see happen with widows is that after we lose our spouse, we get overloaded with taking care of all the things. We're trying to find a new balance, managing the logistics of the day to day, but we also wonder who we are. We wonder what's in store for us. And we don't have the time to sit and contemplate it! That is why retreats offer an amazing, beautiful e...

When you become a widow, suddenly everyone approaches you with some well-intentioned advice. This is one of those 'widow rules' we hear about all the time! "They" say not to make any big changes in the first year of widowhood. But you have to consider, on an individual basis, if this makes sense to you or not. Here are some instances where big changes just make more sense! Have...

This week's podcast guest is no stranger to grief and loss. Emily Thiroux Threatt is our special guest on the podcast today. She has been widowed twice and shares her journey through both losses, how she coped with grief, and how she is finding happiness and joy through creativity and new pursuits! We chat about: ~ How Emily quit her job to become a full time caregiver and had to start all ov...

On today's episode, we're bringing up a couple of topics that came up in our Widow Squad member meeting this last week, and if you're a widowed mama with kiddos still at home, I know you can relate! We're talking about the struggles of solo-parenting, working full-time, managing the house, the bills, the extracurricular activities and after school practices, carpooling, AND the...

I had the pleasure of talking to our returning guest, Laurice Duffy this week on the podcast! It's been 2 years since our first interview on Episode 10 and we had a lot of catching up to do! Laurice and I chat about: ~ Her time as a caregiver to her husband Kevin, who passed away from ALS in 2018. ~ Her decision to choose life coaching as a way to learn coping skills and eventually help other...

What's a widow to do on the "death-iversary" day...aka the "spirit day" as we call it in the Widow Squad? This is Episode 4 of the WidowSquad Podcast, a brand new podcast where we introduce a topic, related to widowhood, of course, and share our experience and advice to listeners! I am so excited to be a part of this incredible new podcast with fellow hosts, Kim Murray and...

Today is Valentine's Day 2023. It's one of those days, those miletone days, those holidays that we have to face. My intent for this episode was to come up with some helpful tips and strategies to make it through this Valentine's Day and make it a little less hurtful, a little more bearable.  This is a short but sweet list on ways that you can take back control of this day! Make it w...

If you haven't read the book The Four Agreements: A Toltec Wisdom Book by Don Miguel Ruiz, I highly suggest it! We just finished reading it in the Widow Squad book club. I love its simplicity and reminders to us about what's important in life!  And agreement number 3, Don't Make Assumptions really struck a chord with me. As widows, we assume things about ourselves and about the peop...

This week we continue our conversation with Michelle Scharf as she shares her journey through grief after losing her husband John to cancer.  Here's what we chat about: ~ How within a span of 6 months she lost her husband, became an empty-nester, and turned 50! ~ How she turned to alcohol to stop the pain of grief until a friend intervened. ~How she started her passion project, Relentlessly R...

Michelle Scharf joins us this week on the podcast to share her raw and honest account of losing her husband to cancer. This is Part 1 of a 2 part conversation with Michelle. On today's episode we talk about: ~ The sweet story of how she met her husband! ~ How she found out he was diagnosed with cancer ~ Her experience and struggle as a caregiver. ~ How her co-workers stepped up to support her...

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that's not what ships were built for." This is one of may favorite quotes to get me motivated! It's by Paulo Coehlo, author of the bestselling book, The Alchemist.  This quote has many meanings, but to me it exemplifies how we try to stay safe, tucked away in our own little world, staying out of harms way. The loss of our spouse has left us feelin...

Donna Kendrick will never forget the "Omgosh, what just happened?!" moment when she discovered her husband Greg had passed away suddenly in 2013. Donna found herself navigating the confusing world of finances post-loss, and then also felt a calling when she realized that she wanted to change careers to become a certified financial planner for others whose lives are in transition.  We cha...

Last week in the WidowSquad weekly meeting, we were doing a group exercise and choosing our Word Of The Year. Are you familiar with this exercise? It's a very powerful tool to help us stay motivated and focused throughout the year.  One of our lovely WidowSquad members chose the word PATIENCE. Great word, right?! She felt like she needed to have more patience with herself. She noticed she was...

On this episode we are talking to Michelle Collins, author, grief educator, yoga and meditation coach. Michelle's husband Glen took his own life in 2016. Michelle talks to us today about the aftermath of the loss and how she is rebuilding her life. Michelle and I chat about: ~ How she felt enormous guilt and shame after losing Glen ~ How she suffered from PTSD and what that felt like. ~ How s...

Hope is believeing with confidence that good things will happen in the future. Whatever place you're in right now, whatever you're feeling in this season is right for you. It's where you need to be. I ask you and encourage you, no matter what you're feeling, no matter the high or the low you're in right now, to move into this new year with hope! Hope will carry you through...