303. When Friends Vanish, Why It Happens, and How to Handle It

Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, angry, or deeply tired as you navigate solo parenting after loss? Maybe you judge yourself for those feelings. Maybe you worry that you're barely holding it together. Here's what I need you to hear: You are not doing it wrong. You are not failing. You are simply a human doing something that is incredibly hard. Listen in this week to hear five key insights about parenting while grieving that will help you give yourself the credit, permission, and support you deserve. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/341 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/

When it comes to talking to children about death, most of us freeze. We worry we'll say the wrong thing. We want to protect them from pain. We fear making it worse. The truth is, talking to children about death doesn't have to feel overwhelming. In this episode, I'm sharing a simple framework that you can return to again and again. Whether you're a new widow navigating this territory or someone supporting a friend who needs guidance, this episode offers practical tools for having these difficult but necessary conversations. Tune in this week to discover a three-part approach that takes the mystery out of these conversations. I walk you through exactly what to say, what to avoid, and how to support children of any age as they navigate their grief. Want a taste of Mom Goes On? The Holiday Pass gives you two weeks of access to Mom Goes On, beginning on December 3rd, 2025. This low-commitment trial provides support for the holidays, including access to life coaching and tapping calls, and community experience. Click here to join: https://coachingwithkrista.com/holidaypass Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/340 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/

Have you noticed how evenings and weekends hit differently as a widow? You're moving through your day, managing work, errands, maybe even feeling okay… then you get home, the house quiets down, and suddenly the loneliness gets louder. If you've been wondering whether that’s normal, the answer is yes. In fact, there are many difficult parts of widowhood that we don't talk about enough. So join me this week as I share what makes widowhood so challenging for the women I work with, plus, I'll give you practical tools you can use immediately to bring more ease to whatever feels hardest right now. Join my free, 3-day live workshop, Happier Holidays for Widowed Moms, to learn 3 simple ways to make this season easier. It’s happening November 18th-20th, 2025, and you can register here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/freeholidayevent/ Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/339 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/

Have you ever noticed how grief changes the conversations you want to have? Maybe it's with a family member who's disappointed you since your loss. Maybe it's with a friend whose surface-level check-ins no longer feel like enough. Or maybe it's with yourself - about what you really want now that everything has changed. This week, I sit down with my dear friend and coach Sara Fisk to talk about something that affects all of us: difficult conversations. She discovered that for widows, difficult conversations aren't just hard. They’re uniquely tender, filled with grief and the desire for authentic connection. Listen in as Sara and I explore how to have a difficult conversation. We talk about what makes conversations feel hard, especially in grief, and Sara shares tangible tools to approach your next difficult conversation with more confidence and compassion. Join my free, 3-day live workshop, Happier Holidays for Widowed Moms, to learn 3 simple ways to make this season easier. It’s happening November 18th-20th, 2025, and you can register here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/freeholidayevent/ Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/338 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/

Are you bracing yourself for the holidays? The holidays after loss can feel like navigating an emotional minefield. One minute you might laugh at a memory, the next you're crying over a Christmas card. And that exhausting voice in your head keeps saying you should be doing more, feeling different, or holding it all together better. Here's what I want you to know: You don't have to love the holidays. You don't have to make them magical. You definitely don't have to hold it all together. Join me this week to discover how to decide what matters most this year, how to protect your energy by choosing your level of participation, and why emotional whiplash is completely normal during the holidays. I'll also share simple ways to include your person in the season and why simplifying, resting, and receiving help are essential for getting through this time. Join my free, 3-day live workshop, Happier Holidays for Widowed Moms, to learn 3 simple ways to make this season easier. It’s happening November 18th-20th, 2025, and you can register here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/freeholidayevent/ Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/337

The holidays bring a unique kind of heaviness when you're navigating them without your person. Your brain searches for them in every familiar tradition, every decoration, every family gathering - and when it can't find them, it sends out waves of emotion that can feel overwhelming. I'm addressing why the holidays can stir up such intense emotions for widowed moms and why there's no right way to feel during this season. Whether you're dreading every moment, feeling surprisingly peaceful, or experiencing emotional whiplash between the two, your experience makes complete sense. Listen in this week to learn what’s happening in your brain and body during this time, so you can offer yourself compassion instead of criticism. You'll discover why numbness, isolation, and rapid mood shifts are all natural responses to grief during the holidays. Most importantly, you'll learn that whatever you're feeling - from complete disconnection to unexpected joy - doesn't need to be fixed or justified. Join my free, 3-day live workshop, Happier Holidays for Widowed Moms, to learn 3 simple ways to make this season easier. It’s happening November 18th-20th, 2025, and you can register here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/freeholidayevent/ Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/336

Do you ever feel like you're just going through the motions? Like you're functioning, but not really living? If you're nodding your head, you're not alone. In fact, this feeling is so common among widows that I've given it a name: the grief plateau. It’s that space where you're stable enough to function, but your future feels uncertain and life doesn't quite feel like you'd like it to. You might be back at work, taking care of your family, and managing day-to-day tasks, but inside, something feels... missing.  If you're ready to take that first step, tune in this week as I share three essential keys to help you get unstuck and move beyond this plateau.Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/335

Have you ever found yourself frozen, wanting to support someone who's grieving but afraid of saying the wrong thing?Most of us weren't taught how to show up for someone who's experienced a devastating loss. We want to help, but sometimes our well-intentioned words can accidentally cause more harm than good. Join me this week as I share practical guidance for anyone who wants to be a genuine source of support for a widow in their life. Drawing from my work with widows every day and my own experience, I break down the common myths about grief that lead to hurtful comments, explain why grief is a full-body experience that affects everything from memory to decision-making, and offer specific phrases that actually help versus those that don't.Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/334

Have you ever found yourself frozen, wanting to support someone who's grieving but afraid of saying the wrong thing?   Most of us weren't taught how to show up for someone who's experienced a devastating loss. We want to help, but sometimes our well-intentioned words can accidentally cause more harm than good.   Join me this week as I share practical guidance for anyone who wants to be a genuine source of support for a widow in their life. Drawing from my work with widows every day and my own experience, I break down the common myths about grief that lead to hurtful comments, explain why grief is a full-body experience that affects everything from memory to decision-making, and offer specific phrases that actually help versus those that don't.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/334

Have you been beating yourself up because you can't stop thinking about something? Maybe it’s the last conversation you had with your person, something someone said that felt hurtful, or a decision you're questioning. You tell yourself to move on, but the thought returns like a boomerang, taking up mental space you desperately need for other things. The frustration builds as you wonder why you can't just let it go, especially when everyone says not to let things "live rent-free in your head." Tune in this week to discover what’s really happening in your brain when you can’t stop thinking about something, and how to break the rumination cycle without forcing yourself to "just stop thinking about it." Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/333