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Grief cannot be rushed and isn’t the absence of pleasure or joy.
Grief is holding both, and I assure you, joy is essential to heal.
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Dear Friends,

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I felt compelled to write today, even while sitting with the rawness of deep loss. Last night our family had to put our sweet Topaz to sleep after discovering in mid-June that he had genetic heart issues. We had no warning we could lose him just two short months later; he was only eight. I got the news from my son who found him howling in pain after seeing him completely normal only a few minutes earlier. Ironically, I had just started the drive home from a gathering with my besties; now only three of us.

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This picture of the fab five was a few years back; and with Beth and Michelle's passing last year (yes both of them died in 2023 eight months apart), our gatherings are starkly different; their loss felt deeply. While there is still ample laughter, chatting, sipping of wine and eating delicious food; it will never be the same. We will always feel their absence.
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Two facts about grief I know for sure

• It's forever.
• We can count on it; none of us are making it out alive

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Why is it then, we have such a hard time navigating to joy even amidst the grief? We think we must "heal" before we can...live again. Guess what? WRONG!
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What if we chased joy more furiously when grieving. What if seeking joy was a conduit to move through the grief while also honoring the loss. That's the thing about grief, it will find you! It will wait for you to finish all the busy-ness of life, it will happily standby as you fill your calendar with projects and appointments. It will wait for school to start, for the laundry to finish and for the dinner party to come to a close. And then, when you least expect it, grief will drop you to your knees.

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So why do we try to outrun it? I can tell you why. We are not taught how to grieve as part of how we live. What if we could get really good at grieving so we could get really good at living in joy? I believe this kind of living is possible. I believe living fully in joy requires us to dig deep with our grief. And it's why, even amidst the deep ache of my heart, I will chase joy today. I will move my body. I will connect with my community; I will serve my clients today; I will slay some business; and likely phone a friend whose heart is also hurting to see how I may lighten their load. It's OK to let people know you're hurting. It's something we all have in common, and when we seek each other in connection, we can more fully allow the healing to transpire.

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I love ya'll and wish you a day of honoring where you are, feeling your feels, and reaching out if you need any extra love.

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I'm just a call, text or email away and I will always find time to make space for you.
​xoxo, Gabrielle

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P.S. - Here is a short list to support anyone grieving; I hope this offers you something useful.

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P. P. S. - My special offer for one-on-one coaching has been extended to September, and I still have a few spots open. I would love to see how I can help serve you living a more joyful life! Check out the offer here.

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