In this bonus episode, we’re talking about something every single one of us will experience but that very few of us seem comfortable talking about: grief. Over the course of less than two months, I had to say goodbye to my seven-year-old golden retriever, Sonny, and my 13-year-old cat, Chet. Losing them was devastating, but what surprised me was how much I questioned whether I was allowed to be honest about just how devastated I was. When I filmed a video the day after Sonny died, crying and talking openly about what I was experiencing, I almost didn’t post it because one thought kept running through my head: nobody wants to see this. I posted it anyway, and the response reminded me why vulnerability and connection matter so much. Thousands of people saw themselves in my grief because they were carrying their own. This episode is about giving ourselves permission to talk about loss, whether we’re grieving a person, a pet, a relationship, an opportunity or the future we thought we were going to have. Grief is part of being human, and maybe we don’t have to hide the hardest parts of it from each other. 💥 Key Takeaways Why grief doesn’t always match the hierarchy we try to assign to different kinds of lossHow losing a pet can create grief that feels every bit as devastating as losing a personWhy we put pressure on ourselves to be sad, but not “too sad,” and to grieve, but not for “too long”How grief can come from losing a person, pet, relationship, opportunity or version of the future you expected to haveWhy life continuing as normal when you feel anything but normal can make grief especially difficultHow fear of being judged, perceived as attention-seeking or considered “too much” can keep us from talking honestly about lossWhy vulnerability creates opportunities for connection during some of the loneliest moments of our livesHow sharing grief can help other people feel less alone in theirs 🔥 In This Episode, I Talk About: Why I unexpectedly came back during my break between seasons to have this conversationWhat happened during Sonny’s final weeks and the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to himWhy waking up the morning after losing Sonny reminded me so much of waking up after my dad diedThe video I almost didn’t post because I worried that crying publicly would make people think I was dramatic or looking for attentionWhy the response to that video completely changed the way I thought about sharing grief publiclyLosing Chet less than two months later and what it was like knowing that goodbye was comingWhy I think we need to give pet loss the weight and compassion it deservesThe grief I’ve experienced from other kinds of loss, including the end of my marriage and the future I once thought I would haveWhy being vulnerable about the hardest parts of my life is ultimately about connection, not attention.If you’re grieving something right now, whatever that loss looks like, I hope this episode reminds you that you don’t have to pretend you’re fine or hide the parts that feel like “too much.” We all experience loss. We all grieve. Maybe one of the ways we make it a little less lonely is by allowing ourselves to talk about it. Support the show 🎤 About the Podcast The Carin CONFIDENTial is real talk about real life and better communication. This is the podcast where I say the things out loud a lot of us have only thought privately - about self-talk, relationships, emotional patterns, people-pleasing, boundaries and what it actually takes to reconnect with yourself. 🔗 Stay Connected Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@carinthecommscoach/podcasts 👉 Follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok: @carinthecommscoach 👉 Find me on Facebook and LinkedIn: Carin Campbell Smith 👉 Join my newsletter at theconsciouscommscoach.com 👉 Interested in booking me for a speaking event or exploring one-on-one coaching? Visit my website and schedule a connection call.
