How A Place of Yes Is Changing Lives - A Place of Yes | A Grief Podcast

Summary6 min read

Episode Summary: "How A Place of Yes Is Changing Lives"

Published on November 14, 2024, by Bright Sighted

Introduction

In the enlightening bonus episode titled "How A Place of Yes Is Changing Lives," Heather, the compassionate host of A Place of YES | A Grief Podcast, delves into the profound impact her podcast has had on its listeners. Rather than exploring a new narrative or interviewing guests, Heather dedicates this episode to sharing heartfelt feedback from her audience, illustrating how channeling grief into positive action resonates deeply within the community.

Listener Feedback: Voices of Transformation

Heather opens the episode by expressing her appreciation for the myriad of messages she receives—from DMs to emails and texts. These messages, whether generic or episode-specific, hold significant emotional weight for her.

Heather (00:16): "One of the things that I have loved most about doing this podcast is the DMs and the emails and the texts from people I know that come from listening."

She shares a particularly touching message from a listener who found inspiration in the podcast for both motherhood and education:

Listener Quote (00:50): "I love learning new things and I learn one every episode about the way I want to live and more importantly, want to teach those around me as both a mom and an educator."

Heather reflects on this feedback, acknowledging that while some listeners might hesitate to express their appreciation due to the podcast's focus on grief, it's perfectly acceptable to derive joy and learning from these narratives.

Another poignant piece of feedback centers around an emotional interview with Liv's mother:

Listener Quote (01:55): "Your interview with Liv's mom gutted me. Your insight is so real. Thank you for your work with this."

Heather emphasizes that episodes like Liv's connect universally because they confront the randomness of loss, something that universally fears but manifests in deeply personal ways.

Educational Impact and Community Connection

Heather highlights how the podcast extends its influence beyond personal narratives into educational settings. A former teacher listener shared how she integrated the podcast into her lesson plan:

Listener Quote (03:30): "We're studying the novel Wonder and talking about life precepts. This episode was so inspiring, I had to share some of it with the kids."

This example underscores the podcast's role in fostering resilience and strength in both educators and students, promoting principles like "strong body, strong mind."

Additionally, Heather recounts a touching message from her longtime friend Chelsea, who feels a renewed sense of closeness through the podcast:

Chelsea's Message (05:15): "I finally feel like we're neighbors again, because I'm talking to my friend Heather."

This sentiment highlights the podcast's ability to bridge distances and rekindle personal connections through shared experiences of grief and healing.

Normalizing Grief and Encouraging Support

A recurring theme in the feedback revolves around the podcast's ability to normalize grief, making listeners feel less isolated in their experiences:

Listener Quote (06:45): "It feels like I'm part of the conversation."

Heather appreciates comments that reflect the podcast's mission to create a safe space for all emotions related to grief, emphasizing that no two grief journeys are identical. She shares an insightful message from a listener named Mary, who has made tangible changes in her supportive actions:

Mary's Feedback (07:50): "I realized I can do better. I can take the time to send a different card. I can pick a card that says what I want it to say or I can write it myself."

This feedback exemplifies how the podcast empowers individuals to approach grief with thoughtfulness and authenticity, moving beyond conventional gestures to more personalized expressions of support.

Heather's Reflections and Mission

Throughout the episode, Heather conveys a deep sense of fulfillment and responsibility towards her listeners. She acknowledges the delicate balance of addressing heavy topics while infusing hope and encouragement:

Heather (08:00): "Grief is what it is, right? Like, people deal with it every day, and we try to normalize that and not make it seem like something that you just have to experience alone."

Heather also shares humorous feedback about the podcast's natural conversation flow, attributing much of this seamlessness to her editor, Madison:

Listener Feedback (07:30): "It feels so natural, but you must edit it. But it just feels like a natural conversation between friends."

This insight reveals the collaborative effort behind the podcast, ensuring that each episode maintains an intimate and relatable tone.

Conclusion: A Mission of Connection and Healing

As the episode draws to a close, Heather reiterates the overarching mission of A Place of YES: to make the world feel smaller, to let everyone know they're not alone in their grief, and to offer actionable ways to support one another. She invites listeners to continue sharing their stories and feedback, reinforcing the community-driven essence of the podcast.

Heather (08:20): "We are trying to make space for everybody to feel their feels. We're trying to make all of the different ways you feel it's okay... we're trying to share with others ways in which you can be supportive and ways in which you can be comforting."

Heather concludes by encouraging new listeners to catch up on previous episodes before the launch of season two, signaling ongoing growth and the continuous impact of the podcast.

Key Takeaways

Community Impact: The podcast profoundly affects listeners by providing comfort, inspiration, and practical support in their grief journeys.
Educational Outreach: Integrating grief narratives into educational settings fosters resilience and understanding among students and educators.
Normalization of Grief: By sharing diverse stories, the podcast normalizes grief, reducing the sense of isolation among those experiencing loss.
Personal Connections: The podcast bridges distances, rekindles friendships, and strengthens community bonds through shared experiences.
Actionable Support: Listeners are empowered to offer more personalized and meaningful support to others in their grief.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

Heather (00:16): "One of the things that I have loved most about doing this podcast is the DMs and the emails and the texts from people I know that come from listening."
Listener (00:50): "I love learning new things and I learn one every episode about the way I want to live and more importantly, want to teach those around me as both a mom and an educator."
Listener (01:55): "Your interview with Liv's mom gutted me. Your insight is so real. Thank you for your work with this."
Listener (03:30): "We're studying the novel Wonder and talking about life precepts. This episode was so inspiring, I had to share some of it with the kids."
Chelsea's Message (05:15): "I finally feel like we're neighbors again, because I'm talking to my friend Heather."
Listener (06:45): "It feels like I'm part of the conversation."
Mary's Feedback (07:50): "I realized I can do better. I can take the time to send a different card. I can pick a card that says what I want it to say or I can write it myself."
Heather (08:00): "Grief is what it is, right? Like, people deal with it every day, and we try to normalize that and not make it seem like something that you just have to experience alone."
Listener (07:30): "It feels so natural, but you must edit it. But it just feels like a natural conversation between friends."

Final Thoughts

"Heather’s" heartfelt sharing of listener feedback in this episode underscores the transformative power of A Place of YES | A Grief Podcast. By fostering a community where grief is acknowledged, shared, and channeled into positive action, the podcast not only honors the memory of Jake but also creates a lasting legacy of hope and healing for its listeners.

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Transcript3 lines

[00:02]
A
Welcome to A Place of Yes, a podcast about how I moved through my darkest hour. And for me, that was in channeling my grief into good. Welcome to the show.
[00:16]
B
Hey guys, it's Heather, the host of A Place of yes. And for this week's bonus episode, we are or I am going to share some listener feedback. One of the things that I have loved most about doing this podcast is the DMs and the emails and the texts from people I know that come from listening. And sometimes they're really generic, sometimes they're episode specific. And I don't think anybody knows the impact of those. Even if it's just a quick text that says like great job. It really. It makes my day. So I thought I would share some of these with you. So in no particular order, I'm just going to share some. So here's one that says hi Heather, I saw your post on how to Help the podcast and will follow it, but I want to personally reach out to say how inspired I continue to be by the work you and your team do through Jake's help and A Place of Yes. I really enjoy listening, which seems like a really weird thing to say, and I hope that doesn't come off strange, but I love learning new things and I learn one every episode about the way I want to live and more importantly, want to teach those around me as both a mom and an educator. And I started with that one for two reasons. One is because I think a lot of people feel weird telling me how much they love or are enjoying listening to the podcast because they get hung up on the fact that it's a grief podcast and I talk so much about the loss of Jake and I talk about loss. But the fact is, it's okay to enjoy listening, it's okay to feel good about it, and it's okay to learn how to say the right things to people or think differently about how you handle your own grief or others grief. So I love that because I feel like it addresses some of that. Another one. Hi Heather, I just listened to your podcast for the first time. Your interview with Liv's mom gutted me. Your insight is so real. Thank you for your work with this. I look forward to listening to all episodes. Binging, that is. I especially was so moved by the way you acknowledge it's the randomness of it all that is hard and scary. I feel the same way in my situation. Xoxo P.S. i'm still crying. We got so much feedback around Liv's episode with Melissa Allen. I didn't Copy them all, because it would take up more than just this bonus episode. But I feel like that episode really connected with so many people. It connected because it's for those who are local listening, but it also connected because it is everybody's worst fear. My story with Jake is kind of everybody's worst fear, but there were different levels of it. And just, you know, Liv, there are no words. But, you know, she got sick in June. She fought like a champ so hard, and there were so many moments where, well, everybody believed she was just gonna get through. And then when she lost the battle, I think everybody's heart broke. And I always think of when I told Ethan that Liv died, and he was like, wait, what? Like, everybody just thought she would do it. And I think that was a lot of the feedback. And I'm grateful for Melissa for trusting me for coming on the show. All right, so another. Another feedback. I'll turn this around a little bit. This one. This one I thought was great. Cause I. I don't know who knows this, but I was a former teacher back in the day, so this one really resonated with me. I used Shawn and Seamus for one of my lessons today. We're studying the novel Wonder and talking about life precepts. And this episode was so inspiring, I had to share some of it with the kids. They had a color run this afternoon and were already complaining about running one lap. I thought strong body, strong mind was the perfect precept to discuss today. Thank you for sharing this story. I love that. So some of these are just little short DMs that I've gotten. Today's podcast is a sure reminder to live your best life every day. And most of all, hold your loved ones close to your heart every single day. Hey, you. I've been listening to clips of your podcast. Amazing. Such incredible work. I love you, girl. Someday we'll reconnect. That was from my friend Chelsea, who was my best friend growing up. She lived around the corner. She lives in California now. Before that, she was in Hawaii. Like, she's one of those people that when we connect, it's like no time has passed. But we might talk on the phone, like, once a year. And I will tell you, when the podcast launched, she called and she said, and I will never forget this. She was so into it, and she loved it. And she was like, I finally feel like we're neighbors again, because I'm talking to my friend Heather, and that made me so happy. Let's see. So this I don't. Again, these are These are just random things I put on a page. But this one said, I want you to know the podcasts are very easy to listen to. Even though the subject matters are hard, you make it very comfortable. It feels like I'm part of the conversation. Keep going. And that one I love because I. You've heard me say this before on the show. Sometimes it makes me sad because people are like, oh, I don't want to listen because I don't want to be sad. And I do think our show is anything but sad. It certainly has sad moments, but we try to turn those around and we try to. Grief is what it is, right? Like, people deal with it every day, and we try to normalize that and not make it seem like something that is just. You have to experience alone. I love that one because it sort of makes me feel like we're. We're reaching our goal, like we're doing what we're setting out to do. This one's kind of funny. I have so many questions about how you do your podcast. It feels so natural, but you must edit it. But it just feels like a natural conversation between friends. The goal is always to make it seem like that. And sometimes as a host, I think I do a better job for Madison, the editor. Other times, I can tell you Madison is amazing and makes it seamless, but I don't always make it easy for her. Let's see, what else do I have? Oh, this was the Chris Lyons episode. I was just driving to see my parents in Watertown for the weekend and listened to your podcast from yesterday. I have to say, I think it was one of my favorites. It made me laugh. It made me cry. Great job. This one, I wasn't sure if I was going to share or not because it sort of goes against some of the other things I was saying, but I actually. It's from Brian, and I think it also. I don't know if it was from Liv. It was either Liv or Mark Mulholland or maybe both. But he said, very sad. Overwhelming, but hopeful. People's stories are truly amazing. It's very accurate. Right? Like, and I love that because that's the whole. Two things can be true. Things can be very, very sad, but they can be hopeful. Every Friday. Well, no, that's not true. Every Thursday evening, usually. Sometimes Friday, I get two individual texts on the family group text, one from my mom and one from my dad. And it's the cutest thing ever. I don't. I think I sent this to Christine. I think this was sent, you Last week, and it was one of the minis and my dad wrote something to the effect of, well, I'm now a podcast expert, and that was the best one yet, I guess. All this to say, I love getting the feedback. I don't just want to sit here and like, pat myself on the back and be like, all these things are so great. But I do want the takeaway to be that we're trying to make the world smaller, right? We're trying to make everyone feel less alone. And we're trying to. I think saying normalized grief is a weird thing to say, but I think it's what we are actually trying to do. We are trying to make space for everybody to feel their feels. We're trying to make all of the different ways you feel it's okay, like, no two journeys are the same, but we're also trying to share with others ways in which you can be supportive and ways in which you can be comforting. I think that is not something I thought we were setting out to do, but one of the feedback, and I actually didn't copy this, but my friend Mary often what she gets from the podcast, a lot of the times are just small changes she can make and how she handles other things. And one of the things after the Steph Cash episode was that she was like, my go to is always just sending flowers. And when I listen to you guys talk about how all the flowers coming can make your house feel like a funeral home, she said, I realized I can do better. I can take the time to send a different card. I can pick a card that says what I want it to say or I can write it myself. I love that. And it doesn't mean that you shouldn't do what you want to do, but I think if we are helping other people pause and think about what they're saying or doing when they want to be helpful, I think that is also a great takeaway. So if you have any feedback, good and bad, I read all kinds of good things. Feel free to share anything with me. I'd love to hear it. And if there's anything you think I could do better, I'd love to hear that too. To be honest, you can DM me on Instagram either at my personal page, heathersstradder, or at A Place of yes podcast. And I'd love to hear from you. Thank you for listening. For those who are new to it, you can catch up on episodes before we launch season two.
[08:28]
A
Thank you for listening to A Place of Yes. Please follow us wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you really like this episode, please share it with a friend. Anybody who might benefit from listening to this. It would make a world of difference if we could just reach more people and share the work that we do and the stories we want to tell. Please subscribe. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Leave us a thumbs up or leave us a comment. We would appreciate all that you can do. If you really like this episode, please share it with a friend or two.