Grief And Productivity

Episode 7 Minute mastery Podcast

Grief is a deeply personal journey—one that doesn’t follow a set timeline or a specific set of rules. Say hello to the healing power of self-care.

Grief can be messy, unpredictable, and sometimes overwhelming. But one thing is certain: allowing yourself to grieve is the first step toward healing.

At difficult times like this, permit yourself to take a break from efficiency and productivity. It is okay to pause for a while and to grieve.

In this episode, my guest Stephanie Boudreaux will be sharing her personal experience of losing her mother and the emotional process that followed. 

Through her journey, she discovered the healing power of self-care as she embraced grief rather than suppress it.

She is now writing a book to encourage others to give themselves permission to grieve fully and without guilt.

Stephanie Boudreaux is a strategic brand consultant with 15+ years of experience in marketing. She is the CEO of Boudreaux Consulting, where she worked on projects.

Most recently, she has developed a passion for neuro-linguistic programming, and she's here today to share how these things have given her insight and helped shape her, especially during a family crisis_ The loss of her mother in October of 2013. She was diagnosed for stage four terminal cancer, for colon cancer, and it then metastasized to her brain.

How Did This Affect Stephanie?

Stephanie is an oly child. Her mother was her soulmate making this loss particularly painful. 

In her words, "It came out of the blues. So I really didn't have an opportunity to prepare for myself. During the last two months of her life, I was focused on taking care of her and neglected me."

It was a very difficult period for Stephanie as you would imagine. Shuttling doctor's office, trying to keep her mom comfortable as she went through Chemotherapy. And feeling guilty for being "selfish" as she described.

And when her mom finally passed, she threw herself into her work as her safety mechanism. Then, COVID hit and she was forced to be by herself and that was when it hit her.  Finally, she could grief and begin a path to recovery.

Embracing The Healing Power of Self-Care

Grief stalls everything you need to do. And it is okay to grief. Because a broken person cannot be efficient or productive unless they fix themselves first. And that was what Stephanie did and is still doing.

In her words, "I didn't listen to my body. And your body tells you what you need. When you're hungry, it'll tell you. When you're thirsty, it'll tell you. When you're tired, it'll tell you. I didn't listen to my body. I didn't want to grieve. I believe the reason why I didn't was because I didn't want to let go, which is why I didn't. 

Then, she grieved and became aware she neglected her own care. With the support of loving family and friends, she pulled through. 

She screams when she needs to, crying when needed. She developed a self-care plan, not just for the outside, but also her insides she says.

She changed her entire diet. Lost 60 pounds that she had put on due to living a sedentary lifestyle and being depressed. And now she is on the other side. When she thinks about things regarding her mother, she don't feel sadness but joy.

What Is Stephanie Boudreax
Working on Now?

Stephanie is writing a book on grief to help others to prepare for the loss of a parent, especially in a situation if you're an only child, because we are never prepared for such tragedy

She is hoping that this book will help not only children,  youngest of the family. The last child to help them understand, help the cope with the begining stage or the self-blame stage to know that it happens. Deal with it take one step at a time.

She is currently working on her book. She promised she will be putting out excerpts from her Instagram account so that people can start knowing what her thought process is like, what to expect in her book.

Through her journey, she discovered the power of embracing grief rather than suppressing it. She hopes her book will encourage others to give themselves permission to grieve fully and without guilt.

Please support Stephanie in this journey. Check her out on Instagram and read her story when it comes out.

If you’ve ever struggled with loss—or know someone who has—this episode is a reminder that healing begins when we acknowledge our emotions. Then, you can move forward and start working on other things.

Key Takeaways

  • Grief can feel like losing half of yourself.
  • Self-care is crucial during the grieving process.
  • It's important to allow yourself to grieve.
  • Humor can be a healing tool in difficult times.
  • Listening to your body is essential for emotional health.

Connect with Stephanie on Instagram

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