In this episode I speak with my beautiful friend MeiLi Autumn Coon. She is the owner and makeup artist for MeiLi Autumn Beauty, creator of Radiant You events, and inner beauty advocate, writer, mother, sister, daughter, beloved child of God. You can find her on instagram @meiliautumnbeauty @meilicoon

We discuss friendship during grief, as well as the collective grief experienced by the community after the devastating wildfire on Maui last August. MeiLi shares with us her experience of witnessing my grief and offers advice for supporting a grieving friend. Our conversation highlights the power of community and the resilience that can emerge from grief. We also discuss the importance of allowing oneself to feel the pain and grief, rather than numbing it, and finding ways to move forward and find beauty in life. Our conversation touches on identity, faith, and the transformative power of grief.

Takeaways

• Supporting a grieving friend involves showing up, holding space, and not needing to have all the right words or solutions.

• Providing practical support, such as bringing healthy meals, can be a meaningful way to help a grieving friend.

• Grief can involve the loss of future plans and dreams, which can be an additional layer of pain.

• Collective grief, such as the aftermath of a natural disaster, can bring a community together and reveal the resilience of individuals.

• Being a witness to someone's grief and growth can be a profound and honored role in a friendship.

• Losing a hometown to a natural disaster can be a deeply painful experience, as it involves the loss of one's identity and core elements of their being.

• Collective grief is a powerful force that affects everyone in a community, including first responders and firefighters who are deeply impacted by the disaster.

• In the aftermath of a loss, it can be challenging to navigate the reality that life goes on and find the motivation to continue.

If you are grieving right now, you are not alone. You can order a copy of my bestselling book Even If-A Holistic Approach to Living A Joy Filled Life With Loss on amazon by clicking here.

https://amzn.to/3x5Qbd8

If you are a fellow grieving mamma and would like to know more about Holistic Grief Academy, my coaching program you can click here

https://holisticgriefacademy.myflodesk.com/prei7fpydj

PS. I would love to stay connected. You can follow me on Instagram @mrsshaunadukes or head over to ShaunaDukes.com for a free ebook on how to support a grieving friend.