As widows, we know the common platitudes all to well.
"They're in a better place",
"Everything happens for a reason",
And many sentences beginning with the dreaded "At least..."
But the most fascinating platitude for me, has always been in the vein of,"You're so strong".
Sure, maybe people think they're saying something to help empower or compliment us, but what I hear time & time again from my fellow widows is that "You're so strong" makes you feel invisible instead.
Perhaps your grief feels minimized when you hear these words. Perhaps you feel these words push a projected narrative onto you, that you may even resent. Perhaps they create pressure, making you feel like you can't fall apart or need to uphold an image of having it all together.
I get it. I've rejected the word "strong" many times too. And yet... there is an undeniable grit that widows hold. The way we get back up over & over again. The way we honour what is real. And walk authentically through what is most people's worst nightmare.
Let's reclaim & reconnect with the word "Strong", this time on our terms. MORE THAN STRONG is a FREE 90-minute workshop where we will explore what strength truly looks like after walking through the worst thing imaginable.
We will traverse beneath the strength that other people want to see. And dig into what we are truly built from, here in all our beautiful pieces.
YES PLEASE
Because the truth is this: You might feel bone-deep tired. You might feel more raw than you knew was possible. Split between two worlds in every moment. Somehow still breathing, but often not quite sure how.
You might ask yourself how it's possible that you carry what you do - all the love, the memories, the loneliness, your grief, your person, your life - or what is left of it.
"You're so strong,"
They say...
And meanwhile, you're just trying to somehow stay tethered to this earth.
MORE THAN STRONG
is your space to be real...
A workshop where collectively we get to say:
I'm more than what you see.
I'm allowed to crumble & get back up.
I'm allowed to fall apart.
And I'm going to reclaim what it truly means to be "strong" through this.
This workshop experience is for you if you're a widow &...
-
You often feel unseen beneath people's well-meaning words & encouragement
-
Frankly, you're tired of being told you're doing well or you're "amazing" - it often feels like it erases how hard this really is
-
You want a space to be real without performance or platitudes
-
You carry great pain & yet you know there is a quiet power there too - something beyond the "strength" others want to see
-
You're craving connection with others who understand the more invisible parts of widowhood
-
You are curious about what it might look like to begin to make sense of your own strength, on your own terms
Your Words...
What past participants of Mira’s workshops for widows are saying.
Hi, I’m Mira.
Widow, Mother, Grief Coach, Occupational Therapist, Writer, Grief Literacy Advocate
In 2019, my love, Brian, died after a horrific seven-week cancer journey. I was left alone with our then almost three-year-old daughter, a broken sense of self, and a heart that was both expanded & utterly destroyed.
It was like I was trying to jam puzzle pieces together that simply no longer fit. I was grieving for the loss of myself as much as the loss of him. And many people around me were struggling to understand and support me.
I heard I was strong often. I was celebrated for my numbness.
Really, I was barely surviving.
I know what it's like to be praised for surviving what you never wanted to live through. I also know how lonely & invisible that can feel. MORE THAN STRONG is my love note to the parts of you that rarely get acknowledged - the ones below the surface. I'd be honoured to have you with us.
Within this 90-minute free workshop we will cover:
-
The messy truth behind being seen as "strong" & why hearing these words may feel more like pressure than praise
-
How to intentionally make space for your full emotional experience - within a world that wants your grief to be neat & tidy
-
The tension between how you're perceived & how you actually feel - Together we'll unpack the disconnect between how others see you and what is truly going on in your heart
-
Platitudes - their function in society, why they are so common, where they come from, & the pain they carry
-
You'll learn gentle ways to respond to platitudes in the moment that allow you to signal authenticity with yourself, while also protecting your grief
-
We'll include journal prompts to help you reclaim the pieces you've had no choice but to hold together - how to feel that true, deep inner fortitude, while being honest & real
-
Simple, grounding daily habits that will help you carry both your grief and your life, moving forward - especially for the days when "strength" feels beyond reach
-
We'll experience a powerful somatic practice together & talk about what it means to come home to your own inner world - and how to make room for contradiction, softness, and strength - on your own terms
Hearing that we're "strong", when we actually feel like we are drowning, sometimes lands more like a mirror of what someone else needs to believe -
Rather than a reflection of how we actually feel.
Even if these words come from a place of care, or have more to do with the other person's inability to see us in our pain, or because it's hard for us to show how bad this truly is -
We deserve a space where we get to explore what strength looks like now, with other widows who understand.
Fill out the form below to attend our workshop for free. Everyone who is registered will also get access to a replay afterwards.
You can show up exactly as you are - messy, tired, quiet, tender. No one will ask you to be strong here, just honest.
xo
By registering for the More Than Strong Workshop, you confirm that you have read, understood, accepted, and agreed to our Terms & Conditions, you understand that this webinar is not a replacement for therapy, and you acknowledge that you are responsible for seeking additional support if needed. Click HERE to read.
