Are we all grief experts?

The statistics kind of say yes.

Did you know that approximately 2.5 million people die each year in the United States? I had no idea. Not that I ever really thought about the exact number or what it actually means. But yesterday afternoon, I was preparing for an interview with Shelby Forsythia and reading her soon to be released book Of Course I’m Here Right Now, and she cited this statistic. She also mentioned that for each person who dies, there are 5 to 9 people grieving them.

I just couldn’t let it go.

It fits with so much of what we talk about on A Place of Yes — the idea that grief touches everyone at some point in their life. And likely more than once. It’s universal, yet we are still often awkward about it.

For many years, I talked about grief in generalities. I talked about the work we do in Jake’s memory through Jake’s Help From Heaven. I spoke with other families who had lost children. But I wasn’t all in like I am now. And sometimes it feels like once you’re in, there’s no escape.

Grief is everywhere. It’s in my Instagram feed, in the books I read, in the shows I watch. Literally almost every book lately. I just started Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson and in the first few pages there is death and grief and the mess it can make in our lives.

The cynic in me wonders about this a lot. Are we all grief experts now? Since most of us experience it and have opinions about what works and what doesn’t, does that mean we’re all equipped to talk about it? I’m part of this too. I found my soapbox and haven’t gotten off it these past few years.

I talk about grief almost every day, but I don’t think I’m an expert. Because honestly, it’s mostly just what I think and what works for me may not work for you. And that’s okay. I’m just another person talking about their person to feel better and to find connection.

All that to say, Season 4 of A Place of Yes launches 3.11.26. So many more conversations, viewpoints, and perspectives. Some will resonate (I hope) and some might not.

And that’s the magic of talking about grief — finding the pieces that work for each of us. They don’t have to be the same, but hopefully if we talk about them enough, we can all feel a little less alone in our journeys.

Here’s a sneak peak of Season 4!

Do you or anyone you know want to talk grief with me? Shoot me an email!

XO

Heather