Episode 68 | Working While Broken: What It's Really Like

What happens when you have to go back to work while your entire world has fallen apart?

In this episode of The Grief Guardian Podcast, I talk about what it was really like returning to work after losing my daughter, Mia.

I took around a month away before returning to my work as a martial arts instructor. On the outside, I had to be the instructor my students expected. I had to teach, motivate, focus and put their needs first.

Inside, I was falling apart.

We talk about the pressure to function when you're grieving, the mask we can wear at work, and the difference between functioning and actually healing.

I also share how returning to my own martial arts training before returning to teaching gave me somewhere I didn't have to hide my emotions. If I broke down, I broke down. It was a space where it could simply be about me.

We also look at what employers can do to support someone who is grieving. Grief doesn't follow a timetable. A person can be completely fine one moment and then be hit by a wave of grief the next. Sometimes they simply need permission to step away.

I'm incredibly grateful that I wasn't pressured to return to work and that I had people around me who continued checking in long after I returned.

Nearly four years later, my boss still reminds me to be easier on myself.

And perhaps the biggest lesson I've learned is this:

Everything that happened was out of your control, so you don't need to carry the guilt.

That's much easier to say than it is to believe.

If you're trying to work while grieving, please remember that you don't have to pretend you're okay. Be kind to yourself. Connect with people. Let others walk beside you.

The grief may not disappear, but the waves do change. The space between them gets bigger, and eventually those moments become easier to carry.

If this episode helps you, please consider subscribing to The Grief Guardian and sharing it with someone who may need to hear it.

#Grief #GrievingAtWork #GriefAndWork #ChildLoss #BereavedParents #GriefSupport #TheGriefGuardian #WorkingWhileGrieving

Have you ever thought you were finally getting better... only to be hit by another wave of grief?

One day you're coping. You're laughing again. Life feels like it's slowly finding a new rhythm.

Then, without warning, a song, a birthday, a memory, or sometimes nothing at all brings the grief rushing back.

If you've ever wondered, "Why am I back here?" this episode is for you.

In Episode 67 of The Grief Guardian Podcast, I share my own experience of navigating those unexpected grief waves after the loss of our daughter, Mia. I talk about why healing isn't a straight line, how grief runs on its own timeline, and why those moments don't mean you've gone backwards.

I also share the story of Mia's first birthday, the simple ritual Saroeun and I created to honour her, and the lesson I've learned about making peace with grief rather than trying to outrun it.

If you're grieving, I hope this episode reminds you that you're not failing. You're simply learning to live with a love that hasn't gone away.

💙 In this episode:
• Why grief isn't a linear journey.
• What unexpected grief waves really mean.
• The story of Mia's first birthday.
• Why grief returns when you least expect it.
• How to stop fearing the next wave and start making peace with it.

If this episode helped you, please consider liking, subscribing, and sharing it with someone who may need to hear these words today. You never know who might be quietly carrying a loss.

⬇️ Connect with The Grief Guardian

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#Grief #ChildLoss #Bereavement #GriefSupport #HealingAfterLoss #Stillbirth #InfantLoss #MentalHealth #TheGriefGuardian #GriefJourney

Losing a child changes every part of your life, including your friendships.

Some friends become your greatest source of strength. Others quietly disappear. Many simply don't know what to say.

In this episode of The Grief Guardian Podcast, I share my own experience of how friendships changed after the loss of our daughter, Mia. I talk about the people who stood beside us when we needed them most, those who drifted away, and why grief often reveals the true depth of our relationships.

If you've ever felt abandoned after a loss, or if you're unsure how to support someone who is grieving, I hope this conversation helps.

You don't need perfect words.

Sometimes all someone needs to hear is:

"I'm sorry for your loss."

• Why some friendships become stronger after tragedy

• Why some people disappear after a child dies

• The biggest mistake people make when supporting someone who is grieving

• Why silence often hurts more than saying the wrong thing

• How grief changes the way we see relationships

• What grieving parents really need from their friends

If this episode resonates with you, please consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who may need it today.

Together, we can help make sure no grieving parent feels alone.

Connect with The Grief Guardian

🌐 Website: https://thegriefguardian.com.au
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegriefguardian
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grant_a_cosgrove/
☕ Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/thegriefguardian

#Grief #ChildLoss #Stillbirth #BereavedParents #InfantLoss #GriefSupport #MentalHealth #HealingAfterLoss #ParentingAfterLoss #Friendship #TheGriefGuardian

In this episode: