It gets easier - but not because time magically fixes you.

If you need this, save it. If you know someone rebuilding after heartbreak, send this to them.No one is coming to rescue you.

That part hurts, but it’s also where your power starts.After a life that was intertwined with someone else, it’s normal to feel out of place.

It’s normal to not know what makes you happy anymore.But “normal” doesn’t mean “stuck.”

You get to choose whether you stay a victim of what happened or become the hero of what comes next.Maybe healing is part time, part choice.

What part are you in right now?

Watch the full WNN episode here: https://youtu.be/A7UrEmC3p2Q?si=dq5JFFcoa0E2cQ0_

Resources & Links: The Widower's Guide to Reclaiming Happiness by Jen Santaniello_Forward Not On Community http://JenSantaniello.com_Website_http://WidowStrong.com http://WidowNewsNetwork.com

Connect with Jen Santaniello:_https://www.facebook.com/jlsantaniello https://www.instagram.com/jen.santaniello/ _https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-santaniello-cmm/

https://jensantaniello.com/community/

#JenSantaniello #ForwardNotOnCommunity #GriefAndGrowth #ResilienceJourney #MomTruths #HealingOutLoud #healingjourney #heartbreakhealing #selfgrowth #chooseyou #reelsinstagram

#WidowStrong #WidowNewsNetwork #WNN #HostMishaPorembski

WidowNewsNetwork.com

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Jen was just trying to get a bottle cap out of my sink... and got hit with a question she was not ready for. She tried everything - her nails, knives, tongs, even her son with his tiny fingers. Then she heard my baby girl whisper, "Do you wish Daddy were here?" That was the moment Jen realized she had a choice:

• stay in the sadness
• or show my kids what resilience looks like

Some moments don't ask you to be strong. They ask you to decide. Still thinking about that one.

Watch the full WNN episode here: https://youtu.be/A7UrEmC3p2Q?si=dq5JFFcoa0E2cQ0_

Resources & Links: The Widower's Guide to Reclaiming Happiness by Jen Santaniello_Forward Not On Community http://JenSantaniello.com_Website_http://WidowStrong.com http://WidowNewsNetwork.com

Connect with Jen Santaniello:_https://www.facebook.com/jlsantaniello https://www.instagram.com/jen.santaniello/ _https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-santaniello-cmm/

https://jensantaniello.com/community/

#JenSantaniello #ForwardNotOnCommunity #GriefAndGrowth #ResilienceJourney #MomTruths #HealingOutLoud

#WidowStrong #WidowNewsNetwork #WNN #HostMishaPorembski

WidowNewsNetwork.com

WidowStrong.com

I got the phone call no one wants to get.“Come decide if we try one more chemo cocktail or end treatment today.”And somehow I was supposed to drop my three babies off next door, drive to the hospital, and make a life-or-death call about my husband.Tag someone who needs to hear this kind of honesty. Moments like that don’t feel real until you’re inside them. You stop thinking about plans, timelines, and control. You just try to breathe and make the next right choice.If you’ve ever had to make a decision that changed everything, I’m so sorry. If you haven’t, I hope you never do.What would you even do in a moment like that?#MayoClinic #CancerCare #CaregiverSupport #RealLifeStories #JenSantaniello #WidowStrong #WidowNewsNetwork #HostMishaPorembski

The world you trusted is gone, and pretending you’re fine only makes the hurt last longer. Jen Santaniello shares the brutal truth about processing trauma, why your body holds onto what your mind tries to outrun, and what it actually takes to move through a life-altering loss.She doesn’t offer a quick fix or a tidy pep talk. Instead, Jen names the part most people skip: letting yourself feel the full weight of what happened before you can begin to heal. If you’ve been pushing through heartbreak, grief, or a sudden life change, this conversation gives you language for what’s happening inside you and permission to stop forcing a timeline.You’ll hear why “wipe the tears away and be fine” is not healing, how unprocessed pain gets stored in the body, and why releasing trauma matters if you want to stop carrying it into your future.

Jen’s perspective is raw, direct, and deeply validating for anyone who has ever been told to move on before they were ready.This episode matters because pain does not disappear just because you hide it. The longer you stuff it down, the more it shows up later in ways you can’t control. Listening now can help you understand the emotional and physical cost of suppression and the first step toward real recovery.Essential listening if you need honesty instead of clichés, or if you love someone who is hurting and want to understand what healing actually looks like. Watch the full WNN episode here: https://youtu.be/A7UrEmC3p2Q?si=dq5JFFcoa0E2cQ0_

Resources & Links: The Widower's Guide to Reclaiming Happiness by Jen Santaniello_Forward Not On Community http://JenSantaniello.com_Website_http://WidowStrong.com http://WidowNewsNetwork.com_Connect with Jen Santaniello:_https://www.facebook.com/jlsantaniello https://www.instagram.com/jen.santaniello/ _https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-santaniello-cmm/

https://jensantaniello.com/community/

#WidowStrong #WidowNewsNetwork #JenSantaniello #HostMishaPorembski #ForwardNotOnCommunity

Your health matters—even in the middle of grief.

After becoming a widow at just 36 with three young children, Jen Santaniello discovered that caring for her health wasn't selfish—it was essential to surviving and healing.

🤍 Watch this teaser, then catch the full conversation on Widow News Network:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7yksY1F_4k

Resources & Links: The Widower's Guide to Reclaiming Happiness by Jen Santaniello Forward Not On Community JenSantaniello.com Website WidowStrong.com WidowNewsNetwork.com Connect with Jen Santaniello: Facebook Instagram Linkedin

https://jensantaniello.com/community/

The moment I realized grief doesn’t mean losing happiness — it’s about carrying love while still living fully.
Drop a ❤️ if you’re ready to reclaim happiness after loss.
When Jen's husband was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, her life flipped upside down in ways she never imagined — and yet, she found a way to thrive. Despite losing her husband at 36, she chose resilience, turning her pain into purpose. Her story reminds us that moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting; it means carrying love with us while building a meaningful, joy-filled life.
If you’re in the thick of grief, know this: it does get easier, but only if you decide to show up for yourself each day. 💪✨
Have you ever felt like grief was holding you back? Drop your thoughts below — you’re not alone. 💬

Full story + tools for healing: https://youtu.be/A7UrEmC3p2Q?si=aQ8qmvHOBJ2fVJcq

#WidowStrong # WidowNewsNetwork #ReclaimHappiness #HealingJourney #WidowSupport #ThriveAfterLoss #JenSantaniello #ForwardNotOnCommunity #TheWidow(er)sGuidetoReclaimingHappiness

Reclaiming Happiness After Loss: Jen Santaniello's Journey from Widowhood to Thriving Discover how Jen Santaniello transformed her grief into a powerful movement to support widows. Through her personal story and practical advice, you'll learn how to navigate grief, build resilience, and design a life filled with purpose and joy, even after unimaginable loss. In this episode: Jen shares her heartfelt journey from diagnosis to widowhood at age 36, raising three young children. The importance of embracing grief while moving forward — that happiness and grief can coexist. Practical strategies for surviving and thriving in the first year after loss, including grief counseling and physical movement. How to make tough decisions and find closure during terminal illness moments. The power of community, with Jen’s insights on creating a supportive space for widows through her "Forward Not On" community. Lessons learned about resilience, identity, and hope from Jen’s inspiring story of transformation. Final message: You are not alone, and hope is possible Resources & Links: The Widower's Guide to Reclaiming Happiness by Jen Santaniello Forward Not On Community JenSantaniello.com Website WidowStrong.com WidowNewsNetwork.com Connect with Jen Santaniello: Facebook Instagram