Understanding Grief and Finding Your Path Forward

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This episode was hosted by Sterling Brown

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This episode of Struggle to Success is proudly
brought to you by NAMI LancasterCounty, your trusted resource
for mental health support andadvocacy.
Did you know that one in fiveadults in the US experiences a
mental health condition eachyear?
That's why NAMI LancasterCounty is here to help.
Whether you or someone you loveis facing a mental health

(00:22):
challenge, NAMI provides freeeducation, support groups and
community resources to ensure noone has to face it alone.
Nami Lancaster County isprivately funded by the generous
donors in our community whobelieve in building a brighter,
healthier future for all of us.
Their compassion fuels theprograms that makes a difference
every day.
Visit namilancopa.
org today, to learn more abouttheir programs, volunteer
opportunities, or to donate.
That's NAMI Lancaster County -Hope starts here!

(00:50):
f you have ever been told bysomeone that you're not capable
of attaining success, if youhave made mistakes or lived in
an underprivileged neighborhood,then this podcast is for you.
You are now locked in tostruggle to success.
Struggle to success aims toinspire individuals to navigate
life's challenges with courage,fortitude and unwavering

(01:11):
determination.
So if you're in your carjogging or somewhere else trying
to find the calm in the storm,then join Struggle to Success
airing every other Saturday.
Remember life is trial.
Stay focused.
Hello wonderful people.
This is Struggle to SuccessPodcast.

(01:31):
I'm your host, sterling Brown.
A few weeks ago, a mentor ofmine suddenly passed away.
He was not only a great officer, but an inspiring human being.
To those who knew him as anofficer, his character always
matched his words.
Today, we're going to unpackand explore some tips that can
benefit both your mental andphysical in times of loss.

(01:52):
There's no question that lossbrings a mix of emotion about
facing the future without themand loneliness, which can make
us feel disconnected from others.
Mary Ann Evans, known by herpen name, george Eliot, once
said our dead are never deaduntil we have forgotten them.
I believe this sentiment holdstrue across many cultures.

(02:13):
In fact, death is often treatedas a celebration of life.
As humans, we seek to processevents not just for
understanding but for closure,and it's that closure that
initiates the healing process.
However, as we grow older andbegin to understand the value of
time and self, we tend toforget or to avoid reflecting on

(02:33):
discomfort, stress or evendeath.
We're often too focused onmaking plans, setting career
goals and dreaming about ourfuture.
But what if we included onemore concept in our plans Death?
Would it detract from ourvision or could it make our
lives richer and more meaningful.
So why do we procrastinate inpreparing for it?

(02:53):
We know that we are born, welive and we will die, but we
have some control over how welive.
The one certainty in life isthat death will come for us all.
We don't know when, how or why,but we know it will.
This is why reflection andmaking better choices as we grow
older, as we mature, is soimportant.

(03:14):
As we progress on our journeyfrom struggle to success, we
must reflect on the good, thebad and the ugly.
Nothing forces us to reflectmore deeply than the loss of a
loved one, a mother, a brother,a friend or even a furry
companion.
In these moments, the pain ofloss can feel overwhelming and
sometimes the pain can lead todifficult choices, choices we

(03:36):
may never fully understand.
My daughter was 16 years of ageand a mother of a beautiful
baby boy when she chose to dieby suicide.
When I received the news, I wasteaching in another city.
My first reaction was totalnumbness and disbelief.
I felt as though no one else inthe world could understand how
I felt at that moment.
Instinctively, I told myself Ineeded to stay strong for my

(03:57):
family.
I recall using empatheticlanguage with myself to maintain
self-control and motivation.
Thinking positively about myrole in this tragedy helped
prevent me from shutting downphysically.
The following weeks were atorturous uphill battle of
reflection and acceptance.
I continued to remind myselfthat it was okay to feel the way

(04:17):
I was feeling and toacknowledge that life is unfair.
This brings me to my second tipself-acceptance.
Many of us struggle with themental block of if only I had
done this.
The truth is, they made theirchoice.
We must learn to accept it.
After my daughter was laid torest, I was flooded with emotion
, dread, anxiety and fear.

(04:39):
What helped me through wasdeepening my understanding of
others who had experiencedsimilar losses.
This is my third tip Seeksupport.
Look online for support groups.
Grief counseling or therapy Talkwith family members and friends
is vital in coping with loss.
If you're struggling, you gotto remember they're struggling
too.
Reach out to your healthinsurance provider or your local

(05:02):
organizations to connect withspecialists who can guide you
through the grieving process.
In times of grief, seekingcomfort in the experiences of
others can reassure you thathealing is possible.
Alongside personal stories,many people also find strength
in spiritual guidance, religioustexts.
With every hardship, there willbe relief.
It is also devastating to losefriendships due to

(05:24):
miscommunication ormisunderstanding.
In such cases, it's importantto reflect on whether the
relationship is worthy ofsalvaging or is time to part
ways.
Communication is key, even whenyou're not on speaking terms.
Find common ground, expressyour feelings without blame and,
if necessary, seek peacefulways to move on.

(05:46):
No connection can thrivewithout communication.
Seek peaceful ways to move on.
No connection can thrivewithout communication.
Most of all, patience lies atthe core of overcoming tragedy
and loss.
As we navigate through time,the many emotions and happy
memories we once shared remainpart of the fabric that helps us
overcome our fears, anxiety andgrief.
Patience is key.

(06:06):
As I close this episode, I'dlike to leave you with a quote
from the Roman Emperor, marcusAurelius, who said death smiles
at us all.
All a man can do is smile back.
If you've enjoyed this episode,please go to Apple Podcasts and
leave a review.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
Thanks for checking out this episode of Struggle to
Success.
To connect with the show, youcan email us at
struggletosuccessp at gmailcom.
Make sure you like andsubscribe so that you never miss
an episode.
And remember life is trials,Stay focused.