How to Become Resilient AF: Grief, Gratitude, and Growth, with Blair Kaplan Venables and Alana Kaplan

In this irreverent, informative, and inspiring episode, Blair and Alana Kaplan of The Global Resilience Project share their journey through profound loss and how it sparked a global movement to help others strengthen their "resilience muscle." After losing both parents within a year—their mother to unexpected cancer and their father shortly after—they created a framework for resilience that combines neuroscience, storytelling, and practical tools. The sisters discuss their annual "Grief Week" getaway, their "Dead Parents Society" merchandise, and Blair's transformative plant medicine journeys, while explaining how practices like daily gratitude and intentional storytelling can rewire our brains for greater emotional resilience.

At the core of their work is the concept that resilience is a muscle that can be strengthened through specific practices. They emphasize that building this muscle before tragedy strikes is crucial—just like going to the gym prepares you for physically demanding tasks.

Key Takeaways:

• Start a daily gratitude practice at the same time each day, listing three specific things you're grateful for from the past 24 hours
• Strengthen your resilience muscle before you need it by practicing coping strategies regularly, even when things are okay
• Share your story through journaling, conversations with trusted friends, or professional support rather than keeping difficult experiences bottled up
• Identify aspects of your life you can control and focus your energy there, especially during uncertain times
• Schedule specific "worry time" to give yourself permission to feel difficult emotions while preventing them from consuming your entire day
• Be intentional with media consumption by removing news apps or setting specific times to engage with potentially distressing content
• Create meaningful morning routines that center and ground you rather than immediately exposing yourself to external stressors

Learn more about Blair and Alana:

Global Resilience Project 

Blair's Website

LinkedIn

Facebook
IG (Blair)

IG (Global Resilience Community)

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