Handling Waves of Grief with Self-Compassion

Grief comes in waves – successive, unpredictable, fierce or tumbling – and with each wave, we get swept up and taken to another place. It's often a mixed bag of emotions and thoughts, a place of anger, shame, nostalgia and memory, great sorrow, or even laughter and gratitude.

How can we steady ourselves when faced with all these conflicting feelings? With self-compassion. 💝

In today's episode, I talk about:

• the three elements of self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness
• the non-linear quality of grief and how to cope with its unpredictable nature
• how leaning into, and extending, the compassion that friends and family display can help you let go of negative emotions (shame, anger, regret)
• how an odd combination of sleep, retro TV detective shows, walks in Central Park, and mindfulness (led by my favorite “tell-it-like-it-is” Dharma teacher Vinny Ferraro) is helping me cope.

Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat.

If you like the podcast, head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com for more inspirational insights and resources, and sign up for Flow & Voice, a free monthly note with short, practical reflections on creativity and personal growth, plus occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into my audio storytelling journey.

Music: All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Songs in this episode: Sunshine On My Soul by Moments; Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World

Poem: The Luckiest Child

Resources:

What is self-compassion? (positive psychology article): https://positivepsychology.com/self-compassion-self-love/#self-compassion-and-positive-psychology

Vinny Ferraro’s website: https://vinnyferraro.org/; see the recordings tab for his Dharma talks and guided meditations

Related Episodes:

Making Peace with Grief (the Shapeshifter) - Episode #54

Grief & Gratitude (It's Bittersweet) - Episode #15

Journal Prompts:

1. List three activities that could engage you in a compassionate way during a difficult time.

2. In what ways has a friend or family member treated you with compassion as you grieve or struggle with a life transition?

3. What mindful act can help you lean into self-compassion? Write about what that could look like and how it would help.

Please subscribe & leave a review if today’s episode helped you handle grief with greater self-compassion. 💜💛

Follow Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/

Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com

I’m wrapping up Season 3 and taking a break over the holidays, but I’ll be back on January 14th for Season 4 with a new series on some of the essential life lessons my sweet mom taught me. Until then, I’m wishing you all good things, and time and space to try new things. Maybe a new creative project, quality time with friends, or deep rest. Do what lights you up inside and fills you with a sense of purpose. You deserve those moments for yourself. See you on January 14th.