The Grief of Blindness and the Role of Grit and Gratitude

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text!What if healing isn’t something you finish, but a way you move while you’re still hurting? That question anchors our conversation with author, speaker, and coach Laura Bratton, who was diagnosed at nine with a rare retinal disease and lost her vision over her teen years. The timeline was uncertain, the grief relentless, and the pressure to “stay positive” intense. Laura shares how permission to grieve—given by a college counselor—reframed everything: you can mourn a non-death loss and still take the next step forward.We unpack a more human definition of grit: not grinning and bearing it, but feeling the panic, naming the anger, and choosing meaningful action anyway. Laura explains how gratitude became an empowerment tool when a mentor challenged her to notice the supports that helped her get through hard days. Not gratitude for the adversity, but gratitude for what carries you through it—parents who coach presence, teachers who adapt, friends who stay. Some days the only honest gratitude is that the day is over. That counts.Laura also talks about building the muscle of self-advocacy. When Princeton admitted her to a master’s program and asked her to define her needs, she learned to state requirements clearly, explain why they matter, and accept that she can’t control others’ responses. We explore the role of humor—found later through community—as a gentle way to hold both joy and pain. Along the way, you’ll hear practical tools to navigate change: validate your feelings, ask for help without shame, reframe what you can, and take one more step forward.If you’re facing a diagnosis, divorce, job loss, or any season of uncertainty, this story offers grounded hope and usable practices. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help others find conversations that honor both the hurt and the courage it takes to keep going.You can find Laura at https://www.laurabratton.com/Support the showBUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASHLearn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE.Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at [email protected]. Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingvioletsFollow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!