8. Grief, & BoundariesHow to Stop Abandoning Yourself After Motherloss

Nobody prepared you for this. Not the grief itself, and definitely not the impossible weight of trying to show up as a mother, a business owner, a partner — while silently carrying a loss that has no timeline and no rulebook.In this deeply personal solo episode, Nicole coaches her younger self through one of the most overlooked conversations in grief: how do we take care of ourselves when everything and everyone around us still needs us to show up?This episode introduces the ME First Framework — ME standing for Mental and Emotional — a compassionate, practical approach to understanding what you need, communicating it clearly, and giving yourself permission to be exactly where you are on this journey without shame.If you've ever felt like a fraud for struggling, judged yourself for not bouncing back faster, or said yes when everything in you was screaming no — this one is for you.In this episode, Nicole covers:Why grief feels like an invisible wound — and why the world doesn't give you space to heal itThe ME First Framework: what it is, why it matters, and how to start using it todayThe mindset shift from "I should be able to handle this" to compassionate permissionA step-by-step guide to setting boundaries from a place of love — not resentmentThe three questions to ask yourself before saying yes to anythingHow to communicate your capacity to the people who love you mostWhy boundaries always start with yourself firstHow to honor grief anniversaries, death anniversaries, and emotionally loaded seasons with intentionA reminder that your emotions do not define you — they are indicating what you need*Saying No: If you have difficulty saying no and someone is requesting something from you, typically your time, your energy or money, and you have a hard time saying no, I want you to ask yourself, am I saying yes because I fear the person's disapproval? If you answer yes, say no to the person's request.Ask yourself, am I doing this because I have a need for this person's approval? If the answer is yes, you must say no.Ask yourself, am I doing this because I genuinely want to, from the bottom of my heart? If yes, then say YES! A note for wherever you are on this journey: Whether you're in your first raw months of loss or years down the road still figuring out who you are now — this episode meets you where you are. There is no timeline. There is only the next step.Connect with Nicole:Register for Nicole’s free Masterclass: She’s Dead. Now what? May 6th @12pm ET ⁠https://www.nicoleweston.ca/masterclassgrief⁠Book a free 20 minute introductory call with Nicole   https://nicoleweston.as.me/introductorycallNicole's free Anger Workbook Guide: ⁠nicoleweston.ca/workbook⁠Website: ⁠www.nicoleweston.ca⁠Instagram: ⁠ @thenicoleweston⁠Produced by Nicole Weston & Co-Produced by Hunter BlackettPhotography by Heather Whitcombe⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.whitcombecreative.com/⁠⁠If This Episode Resonated: Please subscribe, leave a review, and share this with a woman in your life who is carrying this. You know someone who lost her mom during Covid and has never had a space to talk about it. Send it to her. Every share reaches another motherless mother who is searching for this community.*Saying No steps are modelled after Avalon Empowerment