Five years ago, I went through a completely life-altering season. I experienced a series of back-to-back losses, including the devastating loss of a dear mentor and father-figure, the painful break-up of a romantic relationship, and the unexpected layoff that resulted when the firm where I worked for many years (a job that I loved) suddenly closed.
It was a very dark and lonely time for me, and yet, to the outside world, I was "faking fine" and acting like I had it all together.
I was pretty darn good at it, too.
Months passed, and this charade became exhausting. Although I was regularly seeing a therapist, more months passed, and I was not feeling better. Instead, I felt like my whole life was crumbling before me, and I was falling into a deeper, darker, black hole with no way out.
My friends and loved ones wanted to help me, but the truth is...they didn’t know how...and I was feeling more and more emotionally depleted.
Then, when it felt like things couldn’t get any worse…I couldn’t secure a job. It was the craziest, most inexplicable thing. There I was, a former corporate executive with a stellar work history and an MBA under my belt, and yet, no one seemed to want to hire me. That is, if my resume was even being looked at, because we all know what a complete nightmare it can be to get your resume to be seen by a live person, not an algorithm.
Suffice it to say that 18 months and over a thousand lengthy job applications later (yes, you read that right, over 1,000 job applications later)...I somehow was still unemployed.
I was struggling financially, yes, but more than that, I had completely lost my spark for life. I was no longer inspired or motivated to do anything. All I wanted to do was curl up into a ball and sleep my way into oblivion.
Can you relate?
After struggling, and essentially stumbling through this terribly difficult time, I finally found the tools needed to begin my healing journey using the Grief Recovery Method - an evidence-based “toolkit” that’s been developed and refined for over 40 years - and that has helped over a million people across the globe.
The Grief Recovery Method helped me heal my broken heart, and recognizing the immense value of this work, I became a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist dedicating my life to helping others overcome the emotional pain that comes from the over 40 types of losses that we can experience in a lifetime.
These types of losses include death and divorce, but also include much less acknowledged losses like changing to a different line of work, moving to a new home, changes in your social activities, getting ready for the holidays, gaining a new family member, a child leaving home, and yes, a global pandemic.
I mean let's face it, gals, COVID threw us all for a loop and the struggle is REAL!
So many of you have had to reinvent yourselves, adjust your expectations, and in many cases, you lost loved ones or had a series of losses that completely shattered you.
And, on top of that…if there’s one thing that this pandemic has done, it’s that it has challenged us to re-evaluate and restructure our priorities.
Am I right?
So, I want you to consider this…what is it costing you to keep all your emotional hurts bottled up inside you? Are there people and relationships in your life that you value and that are also suffering as a result of your hidden pain?
What unspoken hurts are binding you down and holding you back from the dreams and desires in your heart?
Are you tired of feeling like there’s something wrong with you and no one understands you?
Perhaps, like me, there have even been times when you felt judged or criticized for openly sharing your true feelings.
Or if you went through a break-up from the person you thought was "the one", maybe you’re feeling completely discouraged as you’ve realized that you’re not getting any younger and those child-bearing years will soon be behind you.
