🌼 Beyond the Pity Party: Healthy Ways to Navigate Seasons of Grief
Episode 12: Transcript
Welcome to this Start Fresh mini from the Om WOW Podcast! Let’s reset our mindset and start the week with clarity and intention.
Warning, this might sound like a Debbie Downer episode, but stick with me.
I've heard myself say several times this year that this has been a “year of loss” for me. And while I realize it's not in my best interest to say that and basically affirm it, which puts my attention on loss...
There's no denying that parts of this year have been very difficult.
In March, I lost my best friend, then a job I loved in May. My mom passed away the very next day. We said goodbye to our 16-year-old cat, Pixie. And just a few days ago, we had to say goodbye to our sweet dog Maddie, who was 12 ½.
Listen to the short episode:
Leaving the Pity Party
While the pains are still raw and real, if I let myself fall into a pity party or a low vibration of why is all this happening to me, it's not fair. If I do that, nothing good can come from that. As you face difficult seasons of loss and grief, I encourage you to stay mindful of your thoughts.
It's important to allow your true feelings to flow and to acknowledge them, but it's also important not to let that steal your focus from the rest of your life. During seasons of grief. EFT tapping emotional freedom technique can be extremely helpful. Why? Because EFT tapping allows your body and mind to process and work through your emotions versus what many of us would do naturally, which is one of these two things.
#1 Staying Stuck
Number one, we would stay stuck in the yucky feelings and be so overwhelmingly focused on them that the rest of life comes to a halt. It can taint your perspective of the world of your life that everything just sucks. Or maybe that you're fully alone. Or maybe you tiptoe around feeling depressed and depleted.
#2 Stuffing it Down
Or, stuff, the feelings down where they end up taking root in your physical body and mess with your energy flow, your chi. Like trying hard not to let your feelings show at all. Putting on a brave face, being tough, just going through the motions to get through it.
Finding Better Options
The problem with choosing option number one or two is that they both hinder you from moving forward with your life. I'm not saying it's easy to deal with loss, especially the loss of a spouse or a close relative, but I encourage you to let yourself feel the feelings, even if that means you need a little help. There are likely free grief support groups in your area. Many hospitals have them.
You might find relief by working with a certified EFT tapping practitioner like me to energetically get the emotions moving so they don't stay stuck in your body. A somatic practitioner would be another alternative healing modality that might help. With somatics, they also help move stuck emotions out of the physical body.
And mental health professionals like psychologists may be helpful too. Make sure you let your doctor know about your grief and they will likely be able to recommend some local resources.
Grief Hits Us All Differently
Anyway, there are different levels of grief and each of us is affected by grief differently. This is important to remember. If you have other friends or family members whose lives were affected by the same loss, check in on the one who seems strong. Check in on the one who isn't crying. Check in on the one who seems to be moving on. And check in on the one who appears to be falling apart, who is stuck in a permanent mopey funk. If you're outside the circle of grief, please be mindful of how those you love are feeling, and perhaps offer them some of the resources and support I suggested.
A Season of Change?
This is not a season of loss for me, but it's definitely a season of change. I've been lovingly pushed by myself to get out there and meet new people and try to build new friendships. I've utilized my current free time to do more of the things I love. Getting back to hiking, weekly, diving into my stack of books, researching, writing, and finally starting this podcast.
Did you know that I planned this podcast concept a full year ago? That's wild. And I'm so blessed to be having conversations with such fabulous, knowledgeable people. I literally can't wait for you to hear some of the guest episodes that are in editing right now.
Your Challenge This Week
As you head into this week, here's my suggestion for you. Take extra notice of the people in your life and how they seem to be doing. Who's been distant, who's been quiet? Who can you check in on or call or text to let them know you care? Who can you grab coffee with and be a listening ear for an hour?
And check in with your own mindset. What emotions or recent events, would it be helpful for you to acknowledge and process?
Have a fantastic week. I'm sending you all the good vibes. Cheers!
Meet Our Host: Jennifer Robin O’Keefe
Jennifer Robin is always searching for the next thing that might help: the book, the practice, the reframe you didn't know existed but turns out to be exactly what you needed.
Through conversations with experts, authors, and everyday humans, along with personal reflection, Jennifer focuses on bridging the gap between "woo" and practical, accessible self-support. Her work is rooted in the belief that wellness is not about fixing yourself, but about remembering your worth and finding what genuinely works for you.
She has spent decades exploring personal growth, energy healing, and mind-body wellness. She's trained in EFT Tapping and coaching, tools she often references in her conversations. She's not positioning herself as an expert who has it all figured out. She approaches her work with humility, curiosity, and deep respect for individual experience.
Jennifer is a lifelong learner who cherishes books and notebooks. She loves diving into research and sharing what she learns in a way that feels relatable, compassionate, and pressure-free. These conversations are an invitation: to ask your own questions, gather perspectives that resonate, and build a life that actually feels good to you.
