E54: Growing Through Grief: Micro-Steps to Rebuild Your Life After Loss with Alex Mammadyarov

Written By Shelby Forsythia

Grief doesn’t come with built-in reason or purpose, and it definitely doesn’t follow a straight line! In this conversation with therapist and author Alex Mammadyarov, we explore what it actually looks like to grow through grief in real life—not in theory.

Together, we explore:

  • Why “everything happens for a reason” can feel invalidating—and what to focus on instead

  • Why it's actually a good sign when grief waves appear (even years later)

  • The difference between “staying busy” and truly re-entering the world after loss

  • Why taking micro-steps like changing clothes, checking the mail, or taking a short walk can help you return to life again

  • Alex's simple, honest rhythm for growth: live, grieve, rest, repeat

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Learn more about Alex and get your copy of Growing Through Grief:’

https://alexmammadyarov.com/

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I’m Here Right Now book club:

https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7

RSVP for Of Course I’m Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter:

https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower and submit a question for the show:

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Download the transcript for this episode here.

Shelby Forsythia

Shelby Forsythia (she/her) is a grief coach, author, and podcast host. In 2020, she founded Life After Loss Academy, an online course and community that has helped dozens of grievers grow and find their way after death, divorce, diagnosis, and other major life transitions.

Following her mother’s death in 2013, Shelby began calling herself a “student of grief” and now devotes her days to reading, writing, and speaking about loss. Through a combination of mindfulness tools and intuitive, open-ended questions, she guides her clients to welcome grief as a teacher and create meaningful lives that honor and include the heartbreaks they’ve faced. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine.

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com
Next

E53: Supporting Someone #7: 6 Ways Words Can Comfort Someone in Grief