From Heartbreak to Hope: How Grief 2 Growth Became A Top 3 Grief Podcast

The Email I Almost IgnoredIt was mid-morning. I finished my walk and my workout and made my way to my desk. My desk was cluttered—half-finished notes for the next podcast episode, things I really needed to put away, and, on my computer, a reminder in my inbox that I had 3,101 unread messages. I just wanted to power through and clear some of them out.Most were the usual suspects: promotions, newsletters, and reminders that felt more like to-do lists. My brain was tired. My shoulders slumped. I started going through the new senders list. These are people who haven’t been approved as senders. It’s nice to hav them all lumped together. The quickest way to clean it out is to reject those first. Even so, there were more than 300 of them.One subject line caught my eye, even though I didn’t recognize the sender.Subject line: Grief 2 Growth featured in FeedSpot Top 100 Grief PodcastsI smirked a little. “Sure I have,” I thought. I’ve seen these before—lists where you’re buried down in the nineties, sandwiched between podcasts that released one episode in 2018 and never came back.Still… I clicked. I landed on their page. The top 100 grief podcasts are listed from 1–100. I started scrolling, looking for Grief 2 Growth. Not #1, not #2… of course…And there it was, staring back at me in bold type:Not #96. Not #48.#3.For a moment, I just sat there. Wow. Wait. What?The Heart Behind Grief 2 GrowthWhen I started this podcast, it wasn’t to chase downloads or rankings. It was born from a deeply personal place—a desire to navigate life after devastating loss and to help others do the same. After Shayna passed, I had to do something with my grief. Why not share it?Grief 2 Growth is a space for the brokenhearted, seekers, and those who feel like their world will never make sense again. It’s for those trying to find a reason to keep going. We discuss pain openly, but we focus on healing. We talk about how the very thing that shatters us can also shape us into something deeper, stronger, and more compassionate.When It Feels Like Speaking Into the VoidI’ll be honest—sometimes this work feels lonely. My podcast isn’t reaching millions of people. It’s not even in the thousands per episode. It’s in the hundreds. In a world obsessed with viral reach and massive followings, that can mess with your head.There are days I sit at my desk, record an episode, hit publish… and hear nothing back. No flood of comments. No spike in numbers. Just silence. It’s easy to wonder if my voice is just echoing into empty space, if any of it is really making a difference.But then I remember: grief isn’t a mass-market message. It’s intimate. Personal. Sacred. You don’t measure healing by the millions—it happens one heart at a time. If even one person out there presses play and feels less alone, if one parent finds the strength to make it through another night… then it’s worth it.That’s why I keep going. Not for fame. Not for charts. But for that one person who needs to hear, in that exact moment, that their story matters—and that they’re not walking this road alone.The People Who Make It RealEach week, I sit down with remarkable human beings—grief counselors, spiritual teachers, scientists studying consciousness, authors, healers, and everyday people whose courage takes my breath away. I am in awe of the humans I’ve spoken with and the human spirit that animates us all.They share their stories, their insights, and their hope. Together, we try to answer life’s most challenging questions—not always with tidy conclusions, but with open hearts.A Legacy I’m Carrying ForwardService runs in my blood. I’m a descendant of Thomas Jefferson, a man whose words and ideas helped shape a nation. My grandfather was a pastor who poured his life into caring for his community.I don’t stand in pulpits or marble halls. I sit behind a desk and speak into a microphone. But I like to think I’m following in their footsteps in my own way—using my voice, my platform, and my heart to walk alongside people in their hardest seasons.Why This #3 MattersThis ranking isn’t just a number. It’s a reminder.It reminds me that someone, somewhere, is finding comfort in an episode they stumbled across at midnight when the grief was too heavy to carry alone. It reminds me that the work matters, even when the path feels long and the results aren’t instant.To every listener who’s tuned in, shared an episode, or sent a message—you’re the reason this podcast exists. You’ve given me a reason to keep going.Full CircleAnd to think—I almost ignored that email. Almost clicked right past it in my rush to clear out the noise. But tucked between all the clutter was a reminder that my voice is being heard, that the ripples are reaching farther than I realize.It’s easy to forget, in the quiet seasons, that the seeds we plant are still growing—often out of sight. That email reminded me that the work we do in love never truly disappears. It finds its way to the hearts that need it most, exactly when they need it.💛 I’d love to hear from you—what’s one episode or moment from the podcast that’s stayed with you? Your stories keep me going on the days I need it most.Here’s to grief. Here’s to growth. And here’s to walking the road together.ShareShare this post with someone who might appreciate the podcastI know there are a lot of newsletters you can support, and subscription fatigue is real. If you’d like to leave a one-time donation instead of subscribing, it would be very much appreciated. Click the image below to leave a tip. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grief2growth.substack.com/subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit grief2growth.substack.com/subscribe