Understanding Collective Grief and Reconnecting to a Sense of Purpose

Understanding collective grief and reconnecting to a sense of purpose explores the increasingly pervasive feelings of aimlessness and low motivation and what you can do about it. We are living through a time of ongoing crisis in a society that fails to recognize and allow room for the wide-ranging impact of grief when it’s personal, let alone when it’s collective. When you’re not directly impacted by the crises (yet), it’s understandable to be confused at the energetic drain you’re experiencing. This episode unpacks how collective grief quietly shapes your brain and pulls at your energy, especially when we layer on stories of personal failing or laziness. Listen if you want language, context, and gentle tools to help you feel more understood and more connected to a sense of purposefulness in everyday life.   Some of what I talk about in this episode includes: The “lazy” story we tell ourselves that keeps us stuck and ashamed How grief and chronic stress impact the body, brain, and motivation Supportive ways to engage with stress, vicarious trauma, and collective grief Purposeful living and meaning-making as ways to feel reconnected and less alone Have thoughts or questions about this episode? Share them with me! Send me a voice memo: https://www.speakpipe.com/MindsetUnlimited   LINKS FROM THE EPISODE: National Library of Medicine: Collective Trauma and the Social Construction of Meaning National Health Care for the Homeless Council: Confronting Collective and Cumulative Grief as Institutional Responsibility American Brain Foundation: Healing Your Brain After Loss  NPR: How Your Brain Copes with Grief Priya Parker - How to Hold Collective Grief  Renegade Grief: A Guide to the Wild Ride of Life After Loss  Being A Quaker: A guide for newcomers    CONNECT WITH VALERIE: Schedule an exploration call Ask Valerie (anonymous form) Sign up for Valerie’s newsletter Apply to be coached on the podcast   This podcast was produced by Valerie Friedlander Coaching Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective Send us Fan Mail Support the show