As I previously wrote, the pandemic was a challenging time for me as an entrepreneur.

Last year, after so many months of fighting internally I hit the wall… I hit burnout like I never had before. I felt exhausted. It was worse than Groundhog Day. I felt ineffective in work, quite lost in life, and alone standing on a cliff. I didn’t even know if it was worth continuing with Founders Live any longer. It just seemed like the world was not allowing me/us to evolve and grow. 

I finally realized it’s okay and that we all have seasons of uncertainty and frustration. I learned to step back, take time, evaluate where I needed to make changes, talk with trusted advisors and coaches, and lean into my energy and spirit.

Recently I was joined on stage at Founder Live Seattle by Dr. Katie Eastman to talk about Growing Through Grieving and Loss, where she shared the stages of grief and how we can use them as we grow as entrepreneurs.

Katie is a Psychotherapist, Life Coach and Consultant working to support groups and organizations in managing the many changes everyone is enduring since the pandemic. Utilizing the authentic change theories of Elisabeth Kubler Ross, they have been updated and revitalized to help groups to identify what they most need to navigate through and thrive after change. 

She shared how she strongly believes that grief over the losses from "life as we knew it" across any setting, work or home, may be underlying concerns and if given the opportunity to reflect and acknowledge our perceptions of loss, we provide opportunity for personal and professional growth.

During the discussion, I shared how I had noticed that I wasn’t right, and had to take the time to step back, reflect and make the needed life changes necessary to move forward. 

I am glad to say things are much better now and although it was difficult at the time, I appreciate my learnings and growth.

One of my biggest revelations was how inspiring and supportive our community can be, and how uplifting it can be to simply attend an event or listen to a podcast. During those challenging days all I seemingly could do was lean on our events and content to keep me going. 

I thank you all for being there for me, even if you didn’t even know it. 

Watch the 24-minute talk here, it’s incredibly touching and helpful for anyone dealing with grief and loss.