In this episode, Alysse opens up about her journey through the ups and downs of grief after losing her fiancé, Rashad. She chats with Melissa about how she found her way from just getting by to truly living again. They dive into the unexpected twists life throws at us, the art of letting go of control, and the little joys that make each day brighter. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about healing, growth, and finding hope in the most surprising places.
Time stamps:
00:00 Introduction and Social Media Connections
02:53 The Life of the Party: Remembering Rashad
05:52 Finding Healing in Hobbies and New Experiences
07:36 Living in the Present and Avoiding Comparison
10:41 Navigating Dating and Sharing the Past
13:59 The Ongoing Process of Grief
29:07 The Evolution of Grief and Healing
33:35 Navigating Dating and Finding a New Partner
35:33 The Importance of Asking for Help and Accepting Support
41:25 Focusing on Gratitude and a Better Future
Follow Alysse:
https://www.instagram.com/lysseonlife/
https://lysseonlife.com/
Follow FGTG:
https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold
Grab the show notes:
In this episode, I chat with Kris Searles about his journey from military life to becoming a trauma-informed coach for veterans. He opens up about what it was like coming home from combat, the struggle to adjust to civilian life, and how anger showed up in the process.
We talk a lot about the power of community and how the Veterans Talking to Veterans program is using storytelling as a way to heal. Kris brings up some important points around mental health for both veterans and first responders, and he’s a strong voice for women veterans too, sharing ideas for how we can better support them moving forward.
We also dig into the reality of veteran suicide, why connection matters, and how purpose beyond the uniform can make all the difference. Kris talks about the adventures and friendships that help veterans feel seen again, and we both reflect on how healing looks different for everyone, including the people standing beside them like spouses and families.
There’s a lot in this one about resilience, what it really takes to keep going, and how just taking that first step toward support can shift everything.
Some key mental health resources shared in this episode include:
https://www.mentoragility.com/find-a-vttv-meeting
https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/mibh
Navigating Personal Growth and Entrepreneurship
In this episode, Melissa reflects on her personal growth over the past year, discussing the intertwining of her personal and professional life, the importance of mental health, and the value of vulnerability in storytelling. She shares her journey of prioritizing self-care, navigating her master's program, and preparing for upcoming podcast episodes featuring guests who share their own stories of grief and resilience. Melissa emphasizes the significance of allowing oneself grace and understanding that growth is a process.
Takeaways:
Chapters
00:00 Reflections on Personal Growth and Podcasting Journey
03:01 Interconnection of Personal and Professional Life
06:11 Navigating Mental Health and Education
08:55 The Importance of Vulnerability and Storytelling
11:52 Embracing Self-Care and Personal Time
15:00 Honoring Grief and Moving Forward
Today's episode is more of a quick check in to say hi, share about why I created this podcast, reference my book, and remember to shine your light authentically!
Catch the video version here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYQ7V9agg-U Find more about From Grief to Gold here: https://fromgrieftogold.com/ Apply for my accountability coaching: https://fromgrieftogold.com/coaching/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muchlovebymel/
It's my first episode for 2024 (third of season 3...) and today I wanted to share about people pleasing and the impact saying no has had on me so far this year (and since the last episode recording I made.)
From withdrawing from my masters program, saying no to certain relationships, and opportunities... having a successful start of the year business-wise. While trusting the process. Knowing that opportunities will be there when the time is right.
Sometimes life can be hard. It can be even harder to find the good in the storms. In this episode I wanted to briefly share the story behind my "never tell me the odds" tattoo, and how even though life can be really hard, we can still persevere and find good within.
Find more about From Grief to Gold here:
https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Apply for my accountability coaching:
https://fromgrieftogold.com/coaching/
In this episode we discuss childhood grief, reparenting, and overcoming mental illness everyday. My guest was the wonderful Kathryn Keefer. We share about issues that came up on our childhood and how they've affected us to this day. Working out of a victim mentality, and figuring out ways to heal, even if it means overcoming mental illness everyday. Enjoy!
"I don't even want to know where I would be if I hadn't have started that journey. And it just proves that you're always going to end up where you're supposed to be as long as you just keep going and show up every day. And even if you're having a terrible day and that means just getting up and showering, you've done something"
You can find her on instagram at:
We're starting season 3! I just turned 31 this week, and it is the start of a new season in life. On this episode I wanted to touch on some changes going on moving forward, mental health struggles, and suicide prevention month. Suicidal ideations aren't a foreign experience to me, and often is something people don't talk about.
I also wanted to share about some of the major updates (like a brand new website) to From Grief to Gold, and my official launch for my accountability coaching health and wellness program!
Website:
https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Accountability coaching form:
https://fromgrieftogold.com/coaching/ The Startup Collective:
https://thebrandedacademy.com/the-startup-collective/
Today's episode is focused on being childless, not by choice. How that aspect has affected Laura and her husband's life. From corporate jobs to entrepreneurship, the numerous attempts with IVF (or ICSI for them) and the different stages of grief and processing emotions along this journey. Things you should and shouldn't say to those going through these variations of grief, and dabbling into the dangers of isolation when working towards recovery and healing. We also dive into legacy, and how to still leave a legacy when childless. Laura is my former business coach, and a truly amazing human being! I hope you enjoy today's episode.
Find out more about Laura Payne-Stanley here:
The Google definition of "grace" as a verb is: to do honor or credit to someone or something by ones presence
We're constantly told to give ourselves grace. With people saying thing's like "you're doing a good job, doing your best, give yourself grace."
Presence doesn't mean you're doing anything, it just means you're there.
Give yourself grace. It doesn't matter what you do, what you didn't do.. giving yourself grace is honoring your presence. Did you show up?
It doesn't matter what you did, or how much you did, but did you show up?
If you didn't show up well then.... you better start showing up.
But were you present?
Showing up can mean something so different for literally anyone that's listening.
Beating self up so much from an entrepreneurial aspect / motherly aspect because I could have done more, done better.. all the ways I could improve.
rather than look... I'm exhausted, this is all that I'm balancing, and this is all the energy I have to give.
We don't have to do all the cookie cutter - highlight reel.
If all the energy you have is "average" that's okay. Because there will be days when you can give so much more, and there will be days when you just don't have it.
Part of that grace is in being okay simply existing. Honoring that you simply being present can be enough.
Are you showing up the best that you can right now?
What you're doing right now is enough.
Because later on, that simply showing up will have a ripple effect later on in life. Whether it's "just showing up" for a networking event, or a therapy session, or a partner, child, friend.
Even the smallest pebble affects the water.
You matter.
On today's episode I had Tess Kossow, a certified fertility coach, author, and Woman of Impact award winner to share about her fertility books and cardiac arrest.
She has written two books: "I'm Very Ferris: A Child's Story about In Vitro Fertilization" and "I'm Very Ferris Takes a Bubble Bath."
Both are children picture books on IVF through eyes of the child, but also great gifts for anyone. She wanted to create something to help children to know a little of where they came from and how they came to be.
We then dive into her cardiac health advocacy after experience sudden cardiac arrest in 2020 and surviving. She discusses how she turned this situation into a way to help others but also how it has been therapeutic for herself. Which lead to her connecting with Go Red For Women and the American Heart Association. Heart health for women is often overlooked until it's too late.
Find out more about Tessa Kossow here:
https://www.instagram.com/tesskossow/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tess-kossow-100657178/
Email - books@tesskossow.com
In this episode I discuss all things relating to reflection. We're in Quarter 3 of 2023 as many entrepreneur or entrepreneurs are aware of for the year. So I felt it was the perfect time to speak on reflection in general.
Next month I'll be turning 31, so I thought I'd reflect a little on all of my could have, should have, would have, such as getting accepted into premed school, joining the military, acceptance to flight medic school, traveling Europe, and all things not according to plan.
My biggest reminder is to look at positive reflection. Because the truth is that things are never as bad as they seemed.
Don't get me wrong... "ish" can suck, but never as bad as seemed in our head. (We're really creative). Of course take that with a grain of salt because there are definitely periods where things really suck for a while and I'm not going to sugar coat it. In fact I'm still recovering from my own "ish sucks" but even with that... it was never as bad as I thought it would be.
Becoming a mom also came with me realizing that the nine to five life wasn't it. Daycare is expensive and if your job doesn't pay you enough... not worth it. Coming from the military not certified to be any of the things, and the realism of being an EMT and a mother of a newborn... I needed the creativity and becoming a photographer then branding and web design and realizing that I didn't even want to stay in the medical field. So I got into marketing instead.
None of these opportunities would have happened had I not been creative.
Resiliency training - mandatory. Number of shitty situations and still able to stay me.
I share my lack of support, burnout. How much entrepreneurs need people that support you on your endeavors, because the waters aren't easy to swim through.
My late husband's death helped me snap out of giving up on my dreams. I didn't want to be a nurse, I didn't want to do it in the military. Yes entrepreneurship has been hard, but at least I enjoy what I do when I do it.
I ended up having the most successful wedding photography year of my life after becoming a widow. But then I knew it wasn't where I needed to be. I missed military/health care aspect of me. I just knew something was missing. So I began looking into mental health fields and what I would need to do to support service members.
"Am I ready?" A huge reflection question I had. But I don't think we're ever ready. Become ready through experience. Even example of my podcast. Only 38 episodes in. It's all learning, all reflecting, and important to realize that we are ever evolving and ever expanding, and we don't have to stay put.
We can make a change whenever, not just the new year.
reflect, improve on, what's been great, and what should we never do again?
What would I be curious about doing to see if it improves things? Beauty of being human and ever evolving. Oftentimes people get scared of change, or of what people might think if they take that chance.
Have this vision / idea but if you don't take that chance, and maybe you fail...
I felt aligned and spiraled into an abyss for like a year and a half...
How have I improved? What could I do better? What could I do different next time?
But sometimes you don't know until you know. have to experience to know if it was right or wrong for you.
Figuring out how to run my own business did save my life. Needed my business to be able to balance income and being a mother.
Life is hard sometimes. But I'm really grateful still to this day that I've kept this entrepreneurial spirit. Yes I have catching up to do, but so much growth has occurred. It doesn't have to just be your bank account, it's all of the things combined.
We live in an instant results society, but what if we simply allowed for time. What if we gave ourselves patience and grace rather than expecting immediate results? That's my aim for today's talk! I also share about my own journey after gaining my personal training and health coaching certifications in 2021 and the experience and check offs along the way. Allowing for alignment. Remembering that obstacles can come up and adjust our trajectory or the time it takes for us to reach the end goal. Doing your best to trust the process!
Want to buy a copy of my book?
You can do so here: https://spouse-ly.com/product/a-series-of-flashbacks-darkness-within/
Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6HKCWY6
If you have questions or topics you'd like me to discuss, send an email to info@fromgrieftogold.com
You can find me at: https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/fromgrieftogold
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaanneorg/
If you'd like the show notes you can find them here: https://melissaanne.org/category/from-grief-to-gold
Thanks for listening!
Mel
Programs coming soon:
Shame Free Eating
Get Moving Naturally
It's Not You, Its Your Habits
I'm not a Swifty, but sometimes you have to admit that you're the problem. It's okay to Swift it out from time to time. Acknowledging that sometimes we are the problem, whether in business, relationships, or task management. It's important to be reflective on areas where we might have been the problem.
I share about acting out vs reflection, ways to grow as a person, how sometimes we are what's keeping us from what we want to achieve, and learning to accept that sometimes we are the problem.
It doesn't mean we ignore that sometimes things really do suck...
But how can you rewire your thoughts around previous circumstances?
What can you do now to have a better outcome in the future?
Want to buy a copy of my book?
You can do so here: https://spouse-ly.com/product/a-series-of-flashbacks-darkness-within/
Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6HKCWY6
If you have questions or topics you'd like me to discuss, send an email to info@fromgrieftogold.com
You can find me at: https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/fromgrieftogold
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaanneorg/
If you'd like the show notes you can find them here: https://melissaanne.org/category/from-grief-to-gold
Thanks for listening!
Mel
Programs coming soon:
Shame Free Eating
Get Moving Naturally
It's Not You, Its Your Habits
"I'm a baddie but I can be a saddie too..."
With Valentine's Day being around the corner, I felt like an episode on loneliness would be the perfect topic to discuss.
Some key takeaways from the episode:
Loneliness, being lonely, and 70% off candy on February 15th.
Leo full moon, post pms mess, all of the above.
Journalling about sadness - why do you feel so alone? content on own and the freedom of that
Having spent so much of my life in hyper-independence - accepting that I do want a partner.
Understanding friendships and their needs, yet still feeling alone.
Mental spirals of depression and negative thoughts.
Self-fulfilling prophecy of loneliness / self-sabotaging / anxious tendencies
How can you stay consistent with systems for true self-care?
How can you become a better observer of your warning signs?
What bad habits can you work on kicking out?
Want to buy a copy of my book?
You can do so here: https://spouse-ly.com/product/a-series-of-flashbacks-darkness-within/
Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6HKCWY6
If you have questions or topics you'd like me to discuss, send an email to info@fromgrieftogold.com
You can find me at: https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/fromgrieftogold
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaanneorg/
If you'd like the show notes you can find them here: https://melissaanne.org/category/from-grief-to-gold
Thanks for listening!
Mel
In today's episode, I spoke with Leah Devora about her journey as a career artist, and the shift she had to take in her career after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and how that caused her to make adjustments to her life over the last eight years. We dive into some of her background in the art world, her love for animal rescues, and the importance of mindset. One thing I loved was her sharing about how we have a chance to redefine who we are each and every day. Her focus on not being defined as, "the girl with MS" and how she aims to live life to the fullest despite struggles.
Stay connected with Leah -
Website: www.Leahdevora.art
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahdevora/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devoraleah
Email - Leah@leahdevora.com
If you have questions or topics you'd like me to discuss, send an email to info@fromgrieftogold.com
You can find me at: https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/fromgrieftogold
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaanneorg/
If you'd like the show notes you can find them here: https://melissaanne.org/category/from-grief-to-gold
Thanks for listening! Mel
Today's episode dives into a few different subjects with a main priority on loving others and in turn loving ourselves.
I discussing love, empathy, compassion, and intuition. But I also dive into a little bit of everything relating to the importance of love within this world, different ways to show up, and the realization of sonder. Along with a little caveat about existential bed time conversations with my eight year old son.
Want to buy a copy of my book?
You can do so here: https://spouse-ly.com/product/a-series-of-flashbacks-darkness-within/
Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6HKCWY6
If you have questions or topics you'd like me to discuss, send an email to info@fromgrieftogold.com
You can find me at: https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/fromgrieftogold
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaanneorg/
If you'd like the show notes you can find them here: https://melissaanne.org/category/from-grief-to-gold
Thanks for listening! Mel
Today's guest episode was with Katie O'Malley of Encourage Coaching in Chicago, Illinois.
We dive into the entanglement we can find ourselves in with our careers and how we see ourselves, the importance of self-identity and acknowledging skillsets, leadership and development training, alongside the topic of women in the workplace.
Book References:
atomic habits by
"greatest leader greatest team member"
we should all be millionaires by rachel rodgers
Stay connected with Katie -
Website: https://encouragecoaching.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encouragecoachchicago/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ENCOURAGECOACHCHICAGO/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateomalley/
Email - katie@encouragecoaching.org
Want to buy a copy of my book?
You can do so here: https://spouse-ly.com/product/a-series-of-flashbacks-darkness-within/
Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6HKCWY6
If you have questions or topics you'd like me to discuss, send an email to info@fromgrieftogold.com
You can find me at: https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/fromgrieftogold
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaanneorg/
If you'd like the show notes you can find them here: https://melissaanne.org/category/from-grief-to-gold
Thanks for listening! Mel
Today I wanted to share a little bit of my own journey with words and mindset and just how powerful they actually are.
I dive into a little bit of the as within so without, as above so below type of phrases in reference to how our words and mindset effect our every day living. With that I also share about the power of positivity but without using false positivity because things can really really suck sometimes and we aren't here to sugar coat that. I've likely discussed this a few times but... it's an important one to share nonetheless!
Pomodoro technique flora app reference - https://flora.appfinca.com/en/
Want to buy a copy of my book?
You can do so here: https://spouse-ly.com/product/a-series-of-flashbacks-darkness-within/
Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6HKCWY6
If you have questions or topics you'd like me to discuss, send an email to info@fromgrieftogold.com
You can find me at: https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/fromgrieftogold
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaanneorg/
If you'd like the show notes you can find them here: https://melissaanne.org/category/from-grief-to-gold
Thanks for listening! Mel
In today's episode I had the opportunity to speak with Abbe Feder. She is the owner of InCircle Fertility, a fertility coaching service. We discuss her decision to become a fertility coach, as well as her own 6 year journey that included things such as loss, miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and medical terminations just to name a few.
She helps anyone going through the fertility journey, not strictly by means of IVF.
Grab her free book:
How to Support a Loved One Struggling to Conceive:
The Book to Give Your Mom, Sister & 2 Best Friends
Available on her website - incirclefertility.com
Stay connected with Abby -
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/InCircleFertility
Instagram - @abbefeder / @incirclefertility
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbe-meryl-feder/
Want to buy a copy of my book?
You can do so here: https://spouse-ly.com/product/a-series-of-flashbacks-darkness-within/
Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6HKCWY6
If you have questions or topics you'd like me to discuss, send an email to info@fromgrieftogold.com
You can find me at: https://fromgrieftogold.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/fromgrieftogold
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgrieftogold/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaanneorg/
If you'd like the show notes you can find them here: https://melissaanne.org/category/from-grief-to-gold
Thanks for listening! Mel