#27 - When Life Gets Messy, Find the Funny

A Tidy Take with Tiffany Jenkins, Author of A Clean Mess and High Achiever -When life is “lifing”, it can be really difficult to tidy up your emotions and find a way through. This week my beloved grandma, Noreen Moore, passed away at the age of 94. She was fiesty, independent, and deeply loved. I flew to Kentucky to be with my dad and family, and we began the process of “death cleaning” her home. Sorting through over 60 years in one house, one drawer, one memory at a time. It’s been an emotionally difficult but beautiful process. Grief doesn’t tidy up neatly. But even in the mess, beauty shows up, and along the way, I kept intentionally trying to find the funny.In this episode, I sit down with NYT bestselling author Tiffany Jenkins to explore the role of humor in navigating life's difficult times such as divorce, parenting, the death of a loved one, or other challenging situations. Tiffany shares her journey of finding humor as a coping mechanism, emphasizing the importance of self-deprecation and lightheartedness in her life.In this episode we talk about:* Humor can be a defense mechanism during tough times.* Finding humor in small moments can help cope with challenges.* Acknowledging the irony in difficult situations can provide relief.And as referenced in the opening of the podcast, as we cleaned my grandma’s home of over 60 years, I discovered photographs that proved I’ve been rocking the speedo since the 80s. It brought some laughs. If you look for it, the funny can in fact be found.👀 Follow Tiffany on IG: @jugglingthejenkins📦 Order Tiffany’s books: A Clean Mess: A Memoir of Sobriety After a Lifetime of Being Numb & High Achiever: The Incredible True Story of One Addict’s Double Life📚 Want more tips like these? Check out my book: Tidy Up Your Life🗞️ Subscribe to The Tidy Times: tidydad.substack.com📸 Follow along on IG: Tidy DadEven in moments of grief, there’s room for laughter. This episode is dedicated to my grandma, Noreen Moore. . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tidydad.substack.com/subscribe