OK, so here's something interesting that I've discovered over the last 40 or so years... Grief & Love situations can make people say all kinds of clumsy shit. Ha!
I don’t think they “mean” to say things that are hurtful - it’s just that they sometimes don’t “think” before opening their mouths.
They’re sometimes blinded by their own pain, need to be special or their reluctance to be vulnerable - that they’re not able to see beyond their own beliefs, feelings, or suffering.
Given this, they literally can’t or don’t even try to understand that what they say or how they say it might sound “so not soothing” to someone else.
Like, have you ever found yourself in one of the following scenarios, where someone says something to you to either try to downplay your grief... For example, after the death of a “furry kid” or beloved pet, “But it was just a dog/cat/etc”?
Or they try to "outdo" any other grief that’s ever come before or will ever come after with a comment like: “THIS ___ (fill in the blank)_____ is the worst thing that could ever happen.”
Like, kinda' sending the message... "Look, don't even TRY to compare your loss to mine sucker, because I will out grief you. I will win." HA!
Of course, we may not know EXACTLY what it’s like to have those specific tragic experiences, but we’ve all had our own difficult losses in one way or another. It’s not really kind or fair to try and compare them.
From one person to the next, grief can look very different but that doesn’t mean it's any less debilitating. Grief is not a competition. Neither is love. We shouldn’t be trying to beat one another in comparing our level of loss or the depth of our love.
Today on The Karen Kenney Show, we take a look at how grief and love can affect each of us in its and our own way and that we're not here to compete about it.
Please join me in opening our hearts and minds to understanding how our statements can deeply affect everyone, especially those that are already suffering a loss; whether that be a pet, a spouse, a parent or a child.
What You’ll Learn On This Episode:
This Is Going To Leave A Mark (5:05)
Heading Toward A World Of Pain (11:53)
You Don’t Know What Real Love Is (19:05)
You Must Be Vigilant (32:00)
Karen Kenney is a writer, speaker, and the founder of Fearless Flow Mentoring.
She’s a certified Spiritual Mentor, has been a student & guide of A Course in Miracles for 26+ years and a longtime student of Passage Meditation. She’s also a Gateless Writing Teacher and has been a yoga teacher since 2001.
KK grew up in Lawrence & Boston, MA and is known for her storytelling, her sense of humor and her “down-to-earth” approach to spirituality. Her signature mentoring programs: Your Story to Your Glory™ & Fearless Flow™ help people let go of their old stories of suffering and victimization, so they can write a new kick-ass story from a place of inner power, forgiveness, freedom and Spirit.
A sought-after expert and Spiritual Thought Leader for Live Events, Podcasts, Coaching Programs and Shows, Karen speaks on stages across the country and leads Transformational Retreats in the New England area and at the Omega Institute in NY.
KK is the host of The Karen Kenney Show Podcast & The Sunday Spiritual with Karen Kenney.
She’s currently at work on her memoir.
You can learn more and connect with Karen at:
WEBSITE: https://www.karenkenney.com/
THE SUNDAY SPIRITUAL with KK: https://www.karenkenney.com/sundayspiritual
KK FREEBIE: https://www.karenkenney.com/freebie
FB: https://www.facebook.com/karenkenneylive/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/karenkenneylive/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/KarenKenney
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/karenkenneylive
Thanks for listening!
If something that I shared from my heart today somehow landed in yours, I'd love to hear about it.
So please tag me on Facebook or Instagram and let me know what your favorite part was or what you found most helpful. If you're digging what I'm saying and you want to hear more, I'd be wicked grateful if you can go to iTunes and subscribe and leave a review and if you can think of someone that could benefit from hearing this episode, please share it with them.