#31 | Allowing Grief and Happiness to Co-Exist

Thank you for being here! This episode is a little different because I’m actually the guest but I loved this chat SO much that I wanted to share it with you all <3 I was invited onto the Your Invisible Advantage (YOU WILL LOVEEE HER POD BTW @yourinvisibleadvantagepodcast) podcast for a conversation about something I’ve thought about a lot over the last few years: ***how do you keep building a life while simultaneously going through something really hard behind the scenes?*** How do you let yourself experience joy when you’re also carrying grief? How do you show up online without pretending everything is fine? And how do you continue moving towards the life you want when part of you feels like you should put everything on hold? We get into: - The weird duality of feeling deep grief and genuine happiness at the exact same time - Why you don’t have to share everything to let people see that you’re going through something - How being honest about what you’re experiencing can actually release the shame around it - The difference between being private and feeling like you’re performing - Why social media has been a source of connection and healing for me, rather than just something to be consumed - Building a personal brand without feeling like you have to be an expert, have all the answers or constantly be “creating” - Why I care more about being genuinely myself online than making content that goes viral - The power of documenting what you’re actually living through rather than pretending you have it all figured out - **“You never know when something will be the last time”** and how that thought has completely changed the way I approach everyday life - How that perspective has changed the way I show up for my husband, my family, my friends and even myself - The guilt that can come with hindsight and wishing you had known then what you know now - Why vulnerability is something I once thought was a weakness, but now see as one of the most powerful things you can lead with - The belief I’ve had to let go of around my appearance being the thing that makes me worthy, lovable or valuable - Why being more *Christina* will always take me further than trying to be the “perfect” version of myself This one felt like a really honest conversation about grief, joy, relationships, social media, vulnerability, influence and just… being a person while life is happening. If you’re going through something hard right now, I hope this reminds you that you don’t have to put your whole life on pause. You’re allowed to be hurting and still laugh. You’re allowed to grieve and still be excited about your future. You’re allowed to have a really shit day and still have a beautiful one tomorrow. And maybe most importantly, you never know when something will be the last time. So call your mum. Go for the walk. Send the message. Make the coffee date. Kiss your person. Do the thing. Thank you for being here and for letting me talk to you about the things that matter to me. 🤍 Tag me and Tayla in your stories (@christinapengilly @yourinvisibleadvantagepodcast) & send this to someone who might need to hear it. 📲 Instagram 💌 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Personal YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠❤️ Talk Therapy YouTube⁠⁠ Episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays. See you next week! xx