How Grief became my teacher
I used to keep grief at arm’s length.
I tucked it into the deepest corners of my body, holding it tight in my chest and belly.
The truth is—I didn’t even know how to grieve.
In my 20s, the floodgates finally opened. I remember sitting in a park, sunlight warming my skin. As the warmth landed on my chest, the frozen parts of me began to melt, and tears streamed down my face.
Grief showed up again after a romantic breakup.
It knocked when my grandmother passed.
It visited me through career transitions and life changes.
I came to realize: grief is not an enemy, but a visitor.
One that asks to be felt, not resisted.
I remember my mom telling me about a tradition in Azerbaijan, the country where I was born. When a family lost a loved one, they would invite—or sometimes hire—a special mourner. This woman would wail and cry aloud, invoking tears in others, so grief would not be buried but honored together, communally.
Those closest to the loss might mourn for a full year, wearing only black as a visible sign of their sorrow.
What a contrast to today, where we’re given just three days of bereavement leave, with an unspoken expectation that grief should be wrapped up quickly and quietly.
But grief doesn’t work like that.
It needs time.
It needs presence.
It needs to be met with compassion, not avoidance.
The more I’ve surrendered to grief, the more I’ve discovered:
It moves through me with greater ease.
I feel lighter and more spacious.
Wisdom begins to weave itself from the pain.
That’s why I created the course “Beyond Grief: A Healing Journey.”
It’s the resource I wish I had when grief felt overwhelming, scary, and isolating.
Inside, you’ll find:
Gentle practices to support your heart and body
Guidance for navigating emotional waves with compassion
A map for moving through grief at your own pace
A reminder that you are not alone
👉 Join Beyond Grief: A Healing Journey here
If you’re walking through loss—whether the loss of a loved one, a relationship, or a season of life—I want you to know: you don’t have to carry it all on your own.
Grief is tender, but it also holds the seeds of transformation. Together, let’s walk this path toward healing and light.