Podcast Summary: Social Media Decoded

Episode: Grief, Social Media & Visibility: Why You’re Allowed to Pause Without Falling Behind

Host: Michelle Thames
Date: January 10, 2026

Episode Overview

In this poignant and unfiltered solo episode, host Michelle Thames explores the complex intersection of grief, social media presence, and maintaining visibility as a creator and entrepreneur. Drawing on her own recent personal losses—a stepfather, cousin, and childhood friend—Michelle opens up about how grief collides with the constant pressures of online branding and business. She shares honest reflections, practical strategies, and grants essential permission to her audience: it’s okay to pause, grieve, and show up authentically, even if that means stepping back temporarily.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Grief in a Social Media-Driven World

• Personal Loss and Public Performance
  • Michelle shares the heartbreak of losing close family members and friends in a short time span ([00:30]):

    “It's been a really rough start to 2026 for me. My stepfather passed away on New Year's, shortly after my cousin was killed in a car accident. A friend that I know from childhood passed away.”

  • She observes how social media is now the platform where grief is announced, witnessed, and processed, noting the simultaneous presence of public and silent mourning.

2. The Pressure to “Show Up” Despite Emotional Strain

• Visibility vs. Authenticity
  • Michelle questions:

    “How are we really processing grief in a world that constantly asks us to perform, post and keep going?” ([00:51])

  • She highlights a disconnect where many grieve quietly yet “show up loudly online, posting through pain, smiling through loss, creating content while emotionally exhausted.” ([01:25])
  • The realities of sustaining a brand or business don’t pause for personal hardship; the “algorithms don’t pause when life hits you.”

3. Permission to Rest and Redefining Consistency

• Rest as Strategy, Not Failure

  • Michelle recounts moments when she paused content creation and canceled meetings because she felt too drained to show up, affirming:

    “Rest is not a failure of consistency. It's a strategy for longevity.” ([02:59])

  • She reminds listeners that even as someone who “teaches sustainability and visibility,” sometimes “we gotta slow down because grief has a way of challenging even the things that we know intellectually.” ([02:40])

• Productivity Reframed

  • The host describes nurturing herself with moments of joy—such as mastermind groups—and being selective about what to show up for:

    “Don’t feel bad if you still show up, right? But if you need to take a break from some things, take a break.” ([03:40])

  • She stresses that productivity can look different during grieving—sometimes just enough to bring joy, sometimes pausing entirely.

4. Impact on Brand and Audience

• Brand Equity and Human Presence
  • Michelle asserts:

    “When you allow yourself to pause or shift how you show up, which is what I did, you actually protect your long term brand equity.” ([04:57])

  • She reassures that the audience doesn’t need perfection but “presence”—sometimes that means not posting, sometimes it means honesty about being away.

5. Practical Alternatives for Entrepreneurs and Creators

• Actionable Options During Grief
  • Michelle offers grounded suggestions ([05:29]):
    • “Instead of all or nothing thinking, you can scale back.”
    • “Instead of disappearing, you can repurpose.”
    • “You can rest publicly by naming where you are, or you can rest privately and owe no one an explanation at all. All of these are valid.”
• Repurposing over Creating from Scratch: She mentions using previously created content to maintain a gentle form of visibility.

6. Permission to Pause & Move Forward Differently

• Granting Permission & Reassurance
  • Michelle emphasizes:

    “Permission to pause. Permission to grieve without performing it. Permission to take care of yourself without announcing it. And permission to come back changed. Because grief changes us.” ([06:06])

  • She assures listeners not to judge themselves harshly if working through loss:

    “You are not behind. You are not lazy. You are not failing your business.” ([05:24])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On authenticity in tough times:

  “Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for your brand is just be honest about being human and take a break.” (03:08)

• On redefining visibility:

  “Visibility is not about being everywhere all the time. It's about being aligned when you do show up.” (03:24)

• On the illusion of falling behind:

  “If you're listening to this and you're grieving... you are not behind. You are not lazy. You are not failing your business.” (05:24)

• On giving oneself grace:

  “Grief changes us. And it doesn't make us weaker. It makes us more honest, more grounded, and more impactful.” (06:17)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:30] — Michelle shares personal news of multiple recent losses and introduces the episode’s focus on grief and social media.
• [01:25] — Discussion on how the pressure to stay visible often conflicts with the need to grieve.
• [02:59] — The concept: “Rest is a strategy for longevity.”
• [04:57] — On protecting brand equity by showing up authentically, even if that means pausing.
• [05:24] — Reassuring entrepreneurs they're not failing their businesses due to needing a break.
• [06:06] — Michelle formally grants her audience “permission to pause.”
• [06:17] — Reflections on how grief makes us more honest and impactful.

Final Thoughts

Michelle’s candid message resonates as an important, compassionate reminder that building a brand or business need not come at the expense of mental or emotional well-being. She practicalizes self-care, authenticity, and managed visibility—not as signs of weakness, but as foundations for sustainable growth and meaningful human connection. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who has ever felt the pressure to “keep up” online during a season of loss or hardship.

Closing message:

“Thank you for holding space with me today. Be gentle to yourself and I'll talk to you soon. Peace.” ([07:11])