When the World Breaks Open: How Grief Expands Your Capacity for Joy, Power & Purpose with Mark Matthews

Grief doesn’t just break you open—it breaks you open to truth. And in this transformative episode, Dr. Mark Matthews and I journey into the sacred territory where loss becomes a portal to identity, purpose, and sovereign leadership. From losing both parents at nine years old to navigating a lifetime of introspection, Dr. Mark shares how grief became his greatest teacher—shaping his worldview, his leadership philosophy, and the deep sense of compassion that infuses every aspect of his coaching. Together, we explore how the “armor of avoidance” keeps us disconnected from our deepest desires and how embracing our emotional landscape leads to explosive growth in business, relationships, and self-worth. We dive into: Why care is the antidote to overwhelm and the foundation of conscious leadership How expanding your capacity unlocks your next level of sovereignty What Maslow really meant about human development and fulfillment How grief reframes identity and becomes a catalyst for transformational joy The power of standards vs. expectations in relationships, parenting, and business Why world peace begins with the internal reconciliation of the self This episode isn’t just a conversation—it's a remembrance of your innate power. A reclamation of your throne. A reminder that your most challenging seasons are often the very ones expanding your capacity to hold more love, more purpose, more prosperity, and more aliveness. If you're walking through change, expansion, or rebirth—this one will meet you exactly where you are. Enjoy, sovereigns! Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcast listening platform. You can also watch the episode on Youtube. Quotes: “Grief doesn’t shatter your world — it opens your world.” — Dr. Mark Matthews “Drop your expectations. Raise your standards.” — Dr. Mark Matthews “Most people confuse overwhelm with a lack of capacity… when it’s actually a lack of clarity.” — Dr. Mark Matthews Moments of Note: 00:00 — Welcome to Crown Yourself: The Inner Game of Self-Worth & Leadership Kimberly opens the episode with a powerful framing around mindset, self-worth, and the double-edged sword of high-performance thinking. 01:51 — Dr. Mark Matthews Sets the Intention: “This Will Change Someone’s Life.” Mark enters with a commitment to truth, presence, and breakthrough conversations. He sets the tone for a deeply transformative episode. 02:26 — Childhood Grief at Age Nine: How Loss Opened His World Mark shares the story of losing both parents at nine years old — and how grief became a portal to truth, curiosity, and purpose. 04:30 — “Grief Doesn’t Shatter You — It Opens You.” Emotional Truth & Identity Mark reframes grief as an opener, not a destroyer. This sets the foundation for the episode’s core message on identity and resilience. 06:05 — Avoidance Is the Real Enemy: The Cost of Not Feeling Your Feelings Why grief isn’t dangerous — avoidance is. The armor we wear to protect ourselves causes the real disconnect and self-abandonment. 07:00 — Kimberly’s Own Story: Losing Five Loved Ones in One Year Kimberly shares her own grief portal and how loss unlocked a new dimension of identity, creativity, and voice. 07:45 — The Deep End of Joy: Why Feeling Deeply Expands Your Capacity Grief expands your range — and therefore expands your joy, creativity, and leadership. 08:53 — Human Motivation Decoded: What We Want, What We Avoid, Who We Must Become Mark breaks down human incentive systems and why clarity around desire + aversion is essential for growth. 10:05 — Mark’s Favorite Coaching Question: The Reframe That Unlocks Solutions How asking clients to solve someone else’s problem bypasses defensiveness and opens clarity instantly. 12:50 — Parenting Through Presence: Using Curiosity Instead of Control A beautiful moment with Kimberly’s son leads to a lesson on parenting, capacity, and emotional regulation. 18:00 — Capacity & Magic: Why Stress Disconnects Us From Joy Mark describes the moment he realized stress disconnects us from the magic around us — including children, love, and presence. 21:04 — The Capacity Question Every Leader Must Ask Are you actually out of capacity — or just out of clarity? Mark introduces the capacity-expansion model for high performers. 25:41 — Fulfillment vs. Achievement: The Truth Most High Achievers Miss Kimberly and Mark explore why success without fulfillment erodes self-worth — and how to choose both. 29:29 — Maslow’s Hierarchy & Business Growth: You Can’t Skip Safety Mark breaks down how unmet basic needs sabotage creativity, exploration, and innovation in business. 32:17 — Master One Thing: The Secret to Becoming a World-Class Coach Why Mark built a thriving one-on-one coaching practice before anything else — and how mastery builds confidence. (SEO: coaching ...