Episode 19 | Holiday Survival Series: Losing Your Mom | Guest: Gwen Kellett

This week officialy kicks off the holidays which for many means festivity and time off (yay, vacation!). However, for many others the holidays are an emotional time of struggle and grief.  To help, I'm kicking off the "What Nobody Tells Us" Holiday Survival Series. I want anyone struggling through the next few weeks to know they're not alone.  The first episode in the Holiday Survivial Series is for those who've lost their mom. How do you possibly celebrate when you've lost Mom, one of the most important figures in your life? No matter how long it has been since her passing, it can be devastating to go through the holidays triggered by constant reminders of mom, her holiday traditions, the scent of her signature dish, or her missing seat at the table. It's a rite of passage no one wants to go through. My guest, Gwen Kellett, graciously shares the emotional, practical and spiritual journey she found herself on after her mom's unexpected passing right before Christmas 2022. She's coming up on the one-year anniversary of her Mom's passing, and she has such beautiful, raw, insightful lessons to share thst will help you cope and move through. Gwen is a quadruplet who lost her mom to unexpected cardiac arrest on December 22, 2022. Her mom, Susie, was Gwen's "person" and best friend. So when Gwen learned about her mom's passing only one hour after they had last spoken, her entire world fell apart. Her mom was just RIGHT THERE, how could she possibly be gone? Even in her late 40's, how was Gwen meant to go on without her?  Gwen knows she is not alone in this journey and wants to help others by sharing her experience. Gwen's and Susie's mother-daughter story is one for the books: Stories of their bond, happiness, laughter, as well as Gwen's raw moments of grief will make you smile, laugh, nod, and cry. No matter where you are in your journey with your mom, Gwen's story will hit home. She not only celebrates Susie as an incredible woman, she vulnerably shares:  The highs and lows of their mother-daughter relationship The most raw and surreal early moments after her mom's death The lessons she's since learned about healing, grace, patience and spirituality Her philosophy in living life before vs. after her mom's passing How she has approached the different phases of grief The different ways she and her three sublings have grieved How she keeps her mom's memory alive  What you can do to ensure a smooth transition for loved ones left behind Signs she sees from her mom to let her know she's still there