"Hi, my name is Rachel Krueger, and I’m your resident Wild Widow — navigating life, loss, and the beauty that rises from both. This podcast is a space for honest conversations about grief, growth, and everything in between. Whether you're a widow, walking alongside one, or simply seeking deeper meaning in your own life journey, you're welcome here. Let's laugh, cry, heal, and rise together — wild, wise, and unapologetically alive."Self-Care Through Grief: Healing the Mind, Body, Spirit, and Emotions1. Welcome & Grounding ReflectionWelcomeShare a personal truth: “When grief challenges our existence, Sacred-Self Care becomes survival.” ~RSKThe 4-aspect model: mind, body, spirit, emotions—all touched by grief, all need love2. Sacred Self-Care for Grieving the Four Aspects Mind In grief, the mind is foggy, scattered, overwhelmedTools: breathwork, guided meditation, silence, gentle affirmationsPractice: “Pick ONE!”

Body Grief often lives in the body—tension, fatigue, painSelf-care tools: restorative yoga, slow walks, long showers, and intuitive restReminder: Your body is grieving, too. It deserves kindness, not criticism.Practice: “I deserve to relax.”Spirit Grief can shake or awaken spiritual beliefsSelf-care tools: prayer, ritual, nature, sacred texts, talking to your loved oneCreate a sacred connection—even if it looks like lighting a candle and crying

Emotions Grief is emotional chaos: sadness, rage, numbness, even joySelf-care tools: journaling, therapy, music, tears, voice memos to selfMantra: “All my feelings are welcome here.”3. Gentle Encouragement There is no right way to grieveSacred self-care isn’t about fixing, it’s about holding spaceOne small practice, done with love, is enoughYou're not alone. You're sacred. You're doing the best you can.4. Wrap-Up & Invitation Invitation: Choose one practice per aspect to explore this weekAsk: What part of you needs the most care today?Connect with Me!—DMs, email, etc.“You are not broken, nor do you need fixing. You are holding space for your Sacred-Self.” ~RSK*The anchor is non-traditional, but it works.*I know it's 600 not 6000 seconds.

Welcome back to Wild Widow Woman — where we hold space for healing, growth, and the raw truth of widowhood. In this episode, we’re talking about something that every grieving heart needs to hear: grief is not a straight line. It doesn’t follow a timeline, and it doesn’t look the same from day to day — and that’s okay.

I’ll be sharing a journal prompt to help you check in with yourself this week, along with a few affirmations you can speak into your healing. You’ll find those affirmations listed below in the episode description or show notes.

Affirmations:

• I honor my grief in whatever form it takes today.

• There is no timeline for healing — I am allowed to move forward, fall back, and rest.

• My grief is a reflection of my love. It deserves space.

• I trust myself to navigate this path in my own way.

• Healing is not a straight line, and that’s okay.

Journal Prompt:

“What does my grief look like today, and how is it asking me to show up for myself?”

Let yourself write without censoring. Maybe today grief is soft, loud, heavy, or distant. There’s no wrong way to be here.

For a personally crafted PDF of the points in our podcast, please DM your email address to me.

Welcome to Wild Widow Woman, the podcast where we navigate life after loss with honesty, resilience, and a wild spirit.

I’m Rachel, a widow, life coach, and seeker of joy beyond grief. Today I explore why I still identify as a widow after nine years.

Whether you're newly widowed, years into the journey, or supporting someone you love, this space is for you. Let’s laugh, cry, and grow together. Because life isn’t over—it’s just different.

Let’s begin.