Why do friends and family stop calling, texting, or checking in after you've lost your spouse?

While every grief journey is unique, so many widows and widowers experience the pain of disappearing support just a few months after their loss. What starts as an outpouring of sympathy, calls, texts, and casseroles too often fades into quiet and isolation. This period of time, known as “the grief desert,” is a time when the world moves on, but you are left still coping with immense loss.

In this episode we talk about 3 practical and compassionate pieces of advice:

1. Permission to Reach Out: It’s perfectly okay to make the first move! Grief often tricks us into thinking we’re a burden, but being specific about your needs can open doors and invite support back in!
2. Find Your People: Seek out others who understand your experience, like the Widow 180 Facebook group!
3. Create Small Rituals & Routines: Small routines can help anchor you when everything else feels uncertain.

Even though the quiet is overwhelming, you are not forgotten!

Whether you’re new to the Widow 180 community or have been on this journey for a while, this episode is a compassionate, real-world guide to navigating the loneliness of grief when outside support grows scarce.

Share this episode with someone who needs reassurance that they are not alone and that brighter days—though different—are still ahead!

Get the Widow 180 Workbook, Overcoming Loneliness, here: https://www.widow180.com/loneliness

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

"Don’t give up. Allow yourself to breathe, laugh, and dream again. Healing is possible, and you are not alone." ~Mary Henderson

Mary Henderson sits down with us this week for an honest, heartfelt conversation about love, loss, and rebuilding life after unimaginable grief. She shares the traumatic story of losing her husband during the COVID pandemic, the raw challenges of navigating grief, and the struggle to rediscover her self-worth and identity.

Mary opens up about:

~ moving through anger and numbness, and still leaning on faith

~journaling to find her identity after wondering "Who am I now?"

~having an amazing therapist to guide her through grief

~daring to dream again!

~ building a house in Honduras

~starting a blog called "Dream Big, Girl" to encourage women

~writing faith-filled romance novels that always have a happy ending!

If you are in the early stages of grief or feeling lost, you’ll find inspiration, practical advice, and a message of hope here. Mary Henderson offers encouragement to take your “stone” from the floodwaters of pain and carry it to healing—reminding listeners that joy and purpose can be found again, and you are never truly alone.

You can reach Mary at www.maryhendersonauthor.com

Her blog is "Dream Big, Girl"

Widow 180 Resources and all Widow 180 Workbooks can be found at www.widow180.com/workbooks

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

Welcome to this first ever Widow 180 roundtable discussion! We are bringing together an inspiring group of guests to explore the deeply personal process of rebuilding life after loss. Pam (4 years widowed), Becky (4 years widowed) and MaryBeth (14 years widowed), all bravely come forward today to share their unique stories of grief, resilience, rediscovering joy, and picking up the pieces of their shattered lives.

The conversation covers:

• The overwhelming early days of widowhood and shifting from survival mode to finding purpose
• Moments that signaled the start of healing and concrete steps taken towards rebuilding
• The challenge of moving from "we" to "me" and discovering identity apart from marriage
• Creating new traditions, making bold life changes, and the power of community
• The importance of patience, courage, daily gratitude, and grace on the journey forward!

You will hear honest accounts of building new lives, facing uncertainty with bravery, honoring loved ones, and finding hope after heartbreak.

If you’re new to widowhood or feeling stuck in the messy middle of grief, this episode offers comfort, validation, and tangible tools for taking the next step!

Resources and groups mentioned in this episode:

• Check out Pam's group at www.widowswhowine.com
• Louisville Widow and Widowers Meetup (meetup.com)
• Pam's Book: Where's the Key to the Safe?

Remember - You’re not alone—listen in for wisdom, laughter, and solidarity on the road to rebuilding after loss.

Check out the Widow 180 Workbook Series at https://www.widow180.com/workbooks

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com