Ep78: Grief isn't a competition with Jessica Fein

Jessica and I delve into the profound themes of grief, loss, and hope. We share their personal experiences with the deaths of their children and explore how these experiences have shaped their perspectives on life, relationships, and resilience. The discussion emphasizes the importance of community, self-care, and finding joy amidst sorrow, while also addressing the complexities of navigating grief and the nature of hope. --- Jessica Fein is the author of Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes and host of the "I Don't Know How You Do It” podcast, which features people whose lives seem unimaginable and who find themselves on the receiving end of that statement. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Psychology Today, The Boston Globe, HuffPost, Scary Mommy, and more. Jessica is a relentless warrior in the memory of her dynamic daughter whom she lost to rare disease in 2022. Her work encompasses hope and humor, grit and grace -- the tools that make up her personal survival kit.   Watch Jessica's TEDx talk here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClaQkyLnAaw Learn more about her and grab a copy of her book on her website https://www.jessicafeinstories.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.fein.92/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feinjessica/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-fein-b643b09   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Grief and Loss 02:22 Personal Experiences with Grief 05:19 The Impact of Sudden vs. Anticipated Loss 08:28 The Puncture in the Bubble of Life 11:23 Understanding Different Types of Loss 14:20 Navigating Fear and Worry After Loss 17:26 Finding Hope After Grief 20:34 The Role of Positive Psychology 23:30 Exploring Purpose and Joy 26:32 The Search for Predictability in Life 29:19 The Feeling Behind Our Desires 32:23 Conclusion and Reflections on Life 38:25 Finding Joy Beyond Circumstances 39:32 The Purpose of Being Human 41:30 Embracing All Emotions 44:17 The Complexity of Joy 47:04 The Role of Hope 52:25 Redefining Hope 56:07 Self-Care and Identity 01:01:22 Connecting Through Shared Experiences 01:05:37 Navigating Conversations About Grief 01:10:50 The Power of Connection