Motherless Daughters in Business

Posted • If you’ve ever felt frustrated by how misunderstood your grief is, we hope this helps. While you'll never be misunderstood here, or have to justify and explain yourself, we understand that society isn't as understanding.
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Sadly, most people don’t get it and we don't always have to have experienced something to get it. Acceptance and curiosity goes a long way in the absence of lived experience.

Society expects a timeline and for us 'move on' and to be a version of ourselves that simply doesn't exist anymore.
⁣
It's not that we're grieving wrong, or doing grief incorrectly. We're just grievers, grieving in a world that sadly doesn't know how to hold space for it.
⁣
If any of this feels familiar, we hope you feel seen and heard ❤️

And also, if you're here as a supporter and not a griever, maybe this will help you to better support someone grieving.
⁣.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated by how misunderstood your grief is, we hope this helps. While you'll never be misunderstood here, or have to justify and explain yourself, we understand that society isn't as understanding.
⁣
Sadly, most people don’t get it and we don't always have to have experienced something to get it. Acceptance and curiosity goes a long way in the absence of lived experience.

Society expects a timeline and for us 'move on' and to be a version of ourselves that simply doesn't exist anymore.
⁣
It's not that we're grieving wrong, or doing grief incorrectly. We're just grievers, grieving in a world that sadly doesn't know how to hold space for it.
⁣
If any of this feels familiar, we hope you feel seen and heard ❤️

And also, if you're here as a supporter and not a griever, maybe this will help you to better support someone grieving.

Posted •
⁣.

Keep going!❤️🌸❤️

Dear Motherless Daughter,

You are not alone.

Keep going!

Xo LM❤️

You’re not supposed to be operating at the same capacity you had before your loss.

The societal expectation that we often internalize, that says we need to function at our pre-loss capacity is ridiculous.

Grief significantly lowers our capacity to do anything- the impact of loss on both the brain and the body are enormous.

Our bodies enter a state of heightened stress, activating the nervous system which sends signals to our bodies that we need to prioritize survival over everyday tasks like sending emails and paying bills. Those things couldn’t be less important to a system that thinks it’s being chased by a lion.

Grief = chronic stress= difficulties with short term memory, concentration, recall of information, and organization.

And that’s all WITHOUT even touching the emotional toll of grief that compounds all of these challenges.

So please, my friend, my sister in grief…

Before you spend another second beating yourself up for being unorganized, falling behind, or not keeping up with all the to-dos, please read this caption again.

Because what you need is LESS. So much less. Less on your plate, less judgement, less pressure, less activity.

Whatever you’re carrying today, I’m so glad you’re here

💛 Rio.

Posted •

🫶🏽follow for more supportive grief content

✨ If you’re feeling caught between honoring your grief and the pressure to “move on”…If the simplest tasks take everything you have, and no one seems to understand why…If your inner critic won’t stop questioning whether you’re doing this “right”…

Please join me soon for The Grief Portal Program. This is an 8-week space to tend to your grief alongside others- gently and fully- through creativity, parts work, and somatic support.

Join the waitlist in my bio to be the first to know when enrollment opens to save your spot 💛

Living with mother loss💔

Posted •

Inexplicable longing

Dear Motherless Daughter,
be gentle with yourself ❤️

#

-Until-

I can't think of the words
to express these feelings of sorrow,

Wishing hard, really hard
that I don't wake up tomorrow.

Death isn't so scary anymore
Life is what is my fright,

I think of all the things we did-how
happy we were
I loved her with all my might

My best friend-I'll never hug again
All those memories -I remember when
she was alive

I'll never know
what she was thinking-or WHY

But if you look, look really high
high up there in the sky

I will see her again-I know I will
I will try to be happy....
happy...

-UNTIL-

Laura May Culver, age 14
From the What She Knew collection

We lost her together.

Irish Twins, they say.

Just me and my big brother.

Every day, in the dark, the question...

How could she leave us behind?

High-functioning anxiety may not be a diagnosable anxiety disorder, but many people find themselves in this category - suffering with anxiety, but outwardly able to function relatively well.

If you have high-functioning anxiety, you may even be praised for how you’re seen on the surface: high achieving, bending over backwards to help others, a perfectionist, detail-oriented, etc.

Having these traits are typically praised because it makes life easier for others!

Even though you may look “fine” on the outside, you’re frequently anxious on the inside.

You may feel stretched too thin, overthink everything, procrastinate because of your perfectionism, and worry people aren’t happy with you.

Here are a few affirmations to practice if you struggle with high-functioning anxiety:

👉 It’s ok to reach out for help when I need it.

👉 My work is good and doesn’t need to be perfect.

👉 Other peoples opinions of me are not my business or my problem.

👉 I am valuable, simply for being - not for what I can do or accomplish for others.

👉 Today I can fully enjoy each present moment instead of overthinking things of the past and future.

🤍 Find this helpful? LIKE, SAVE, and SHARE with a friend or your community.

🤍 Be sure and follow for more helpful anxiety content!
Posted • ✨ Do you recognize yourself in this graphic?

❗️If so, you’ll be the perfect fit for my masterclass, “The High-Functioning Anxiety Toolbox Masterclass”. Get it by commenting “HFA” or sending me a DM. ❤️❗️