Episode 13: The Days That Bring You to Your Knees

In this episode, we talk about shock, sudden loss, grief waves, and the ways grief can show up unexpectedly in the body.

Gentle note for listeners:
Some of what’s shared here may feel activating or tender. You’re invited to listen at your own pace. Pausing, stepping away, skipping sections, or coming back another day is always okay. You don’t need to push through anything here. Your body gets to lead.

This episode explores:

• What shock actually feels like after loss
• Why grief doesn’t come all at once—and why waves are normal
• How triggers can show up suddenly and physically
• Why being “brought to your knees” isn’t failure, but a human response to love and loss
• Reframing strength when this life wasn’t chosen

If you’re in the early days of grief—or finding yourself knocked down by moments you didn’t see coming—I created Through The Fog, a 6-week self-guided program designed to offer steadiness and support when everything feels disorienting and heavy. There’s no rush and no expectation of progress—just a reminder that you don’t have to do this alone.
Available the last week of January.

Thank you for being here. I’m really glad you found your way to this space.

Explore my website for offerings like 1:1 and group grief support, and a glimpse into Through The Fog. Www.laurenlentz.com

Follow me on Instagram for more resources, insights, and community support at @imsorrywerefriends

Episode 12: New Year’s Resolutions — When You’re Just Trying to Survive

When “fresh starts” miss the mark in grief

January often arrives with pressure — to improve, reset, optimize, and become a “better” version of yourself. But when you’re grieving, that language can feel disconnected, overwhelming, or even cruel.

In this episode, I share why traditional New Year’s resolutions often don’t fit when you’re in survival mode — and why that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.

Drawing from my own first New Year after losing Kevin, we explore how grief narrows capacity, shifts priorities, and asks something very different of us than transformation or self-improvement.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re moving into the New Year feeling heavy instead of hopeful
• Resolutions feel impossible or out of sync right now
• You’re tired of being asked to “push through”
• You’re just trying to survive — day by day, moment by moment

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why resolution culture doesn’t align with grief
• How survival is not failure — it’s the work
• Why healing doesn’t come through restriction or discipline
• Letting go of “new year, new you” pressure
• Choosing gentler intentions, boundaries, and permissions
• Meeting yourself exactly where you are

You don’t need to become someone new.
You don’t need to make big promises.
And you don’t need to take anything away from yourself to prove you’re healing.

If all you can do right now is survive — that is more than enough.

Connect with Me

You can find me on Instagram at @imsorrywerefriends
or learn more about my work at www.laurenlentz.com

If this episode resonated, I’d love it if you shared it with someone who may need permission to move slowly this season.

Episode 11: Anticipating the New Year — A Year Without You In It

The days between Christmas and New Year’s can feel strangely heavy—quiet, suspended, and emotionally charged. In this episode, Lauren speaks to the often unspoken fear that surfaces as the calendar prepares to turn: How do I step into a year that doesn’t include someone essential?

Drawing from her own experience on New Year’s Eve 2019, Lauren explores the grief that can arise in this liminal stretch of time—the tension between wanting time to move forward and wanting it to stop entirely. This episode is a gentle companion for anyone who feels unready, resistant, or overwhelmed by the idea of a “new beginning” after loss.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why the New Year can feel especially painful and alienating when you’re grieving
• The quiet fear of leaving behind the last year your person was part of
• How cultural pressure around optimism and resolutions can clash with grief
• Letting go of the idea of a “good year” and embracing softer language—a survivable year, a steadier year
• Ways love continues, even as loss changes form
• Simple, supportive ways to care for yourself during this transition
• Naming the contradictions of grief—holding joy and sorrow at the same time
• A gentle question to help you enter the New Year with more support and less pressure

This episode is not about fixing grief, rushing healing, or forcing hope. It’s about honoring where you actually are—and allowing yourself to cross into the New Year in a way that feels honest, protective, and humane.

✨ You don’t have to want the year.
You don’t have to be ready.
You just have to enter it—one step at a time.

🎧 Next episode: New Year’s Resolutions — Just Trying to Survive
We’ll talk about what it really means to approach a new year while grieving, and how to set intentions that honor your reality—not the version of you the world expects.

Thank you for being here.

To work with Lauren:
Lauren offers grief coaching for widows navigating life after loss, including 1:1 support and group programs. You can learn more at www.laurenlentz.com

To connect with Lauren:
Connect with Lauren on Instagram at @imsorrywerefriends for ongoing support, reflections, and community.