What if preparing for death could actually help you live more fully?

In this powerful episode, Nina Rodriguez speaks with Marni Blank, certified end-of-life doula and founder of Begin With The End, about why planning for death is one of the most compassionate acts we can offer, both to ourselves and those we love.

***Click here to watch on YouTube***

This conversation weaves together the legal logistics of wills, advance directives, and digital assets with the emotional and spiritual tools needed to live with more intention and prepare with less fear. Marni also shares her deeply personal journey into this work, sparked by her mother’s car accident, a moment that exposed the overwhelming reality of end-of-life care when you're unprepared.

*** Plan Well Organizer: Download Here ***

Whether you're grieving, caregiving, or simply ready to get your affairs in order, this episode offers clarity, comfort, and a gentle push toward meaningful, compassionate action.

Topics We Explore:

• How to start honest, heart-centered conversations about death
• Why everyone over 18 needs a will and advance directive
• How to protect and pass on your digital legacy
• The biggest myths about grief, and what it actually looks like
• What a death doula does and how they support families
• How to shape a legacy rooted in values, not just valuables
• Why compassion and curiosity are essential in grief support
• How emotional presence and practical planning can coexist

Key Takeaways:

• Preparing for death is a profound act of love
• Grief is nonlinear and deeply individual
• Legal and digital planning is essential at any age
• Legacy lives on through stories, values, and human connection
• You don’t have to navigate end-of-life or grief alone
• Talking about death early can ease suffering later
• It’s possible to be both prepared and present during loss

Whether you’re facing loss, supporting someone in grief, or simply want to live with more intention, this episode will give you language, tools, and hope.

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

1. Grief Tending Toolkit
2. Access our online community

Guest: Marni Blank, Esq

• Founder, Begin With The End
• beginwiththeend.co
• Instagram: @beginwith_theend

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• Learn more: griefandlight.com
• Instagram: @griefandlight

Take action today:

✅ Create or update your will
✅ Have a conversation about end-of-life wishes with someone you love
✅ Organize one part of your digital life
✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it

Subscribe for more conversations that explore grief, healing, and what it means to be human.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

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Grief doesn’t pause when you arrive at work, so why do so many workplaces expect us to carry on as if nothing happened?

In this powerful episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez is joined by Dr. Mekel Harris and Janet Gwilliam-Wright, co-founders of Bloomwell Partners, a consulting firm transforming how organizations handle grief and loss in the workplace.

***Watch on YouTube***

Drawing from their personal experiences of loss and their expertise in psychology, leadership, and organizational development, they dive into how employees can advocate for themselves while grieving, and how leaders can meet them with compassion instead of confusion.

From navigating the emotional toll of returning to work after a death, to shaping grief-informed policies and building a workplace culture rooted in empathy, this conversation offers tangible strategies for both individuals and organizations.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to perform while grieving, or if you're a leader unsure how to support a grieving team member, this episode is for you.

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

• Grief Tending Toolkit
• Access our online community

Key Takeaways

• You have agency while grieving at work. Learning to speak up about your needs is part of healing, not a disruption.
• Grief impacts performance, presence, and decision-making. It’s not just emotional, it’s physical and cognitive too.
• Compassionate leadership is a skillset, not a personality trait. It can be learned, practiced, and integrated into team culture.
• Grieving employees often feel robotic and disconnected. Making space for real emotion helps restore connection and trust.
• Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. Long-term care and policy flexibility matter just as much as immediate support.
• Peer support and grief ambassadors can help normalize conversations around loss and reduce isolation at work.
• Organizations that support grief retain talent. Empathy and loyalty go hand-in-hand in the modern workplace.
• Emotional intelligence is essential for today’s leaders. It’s no longer optional; it’s a core competency.

Referenced in this episode:

• Janet Gwilliam-Wright on a mission to build compassionate organizations
• Grieving with Grace: Dr. Mekel Harris' Grief-Informed Approach to Relaxing into the Pain
• 5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Grief-Informed Clinician

Connect with Bloomwell Partners:

• growwithbloomwell.com
• bloomwellpartners@gmail.com
• IG: @bloomwellpartners

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• IG: @griefandlight
• griefandlight.com

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

In this solo, audio-only episode, host Nina Rodriguez explores the unspoken grief many of us are carrying right now—the grief of uncertainty.

From political turmoil and climate anxiety, to the dizzying pace of technological change, we’re living in times that feel increasingly unsteady.

This isn’t just stress; it’s a kind of ambient grief. It's the ache of losing the future we thought we were heading toward.

The episode reflects on:

• Why uncertainty feels so destabilizing to our nervous systems
• How ambient, ongoing grief impacts our sense of safety
• The importance of slowing down to recalibrate and feel
• What it means to find your anchor through ritual, rhythm, or aligned action
• How we can take meaningful action without burning out

Whether you’re doomscrolling, feeling disoriented, or just trying to catch your breath, this conversation offers gentle perspective and practical footholds for staying grounded in chaotic times.

If you’ve been quietly wondering, “Is it just me?” this episode is for you.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to the Resting Grief Face Substack for the full written version.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Substack article: The Grief of Uncertainty in Unprecedented Times
• Podcast episode: Grief vs. Grieving
• Podcast Episode: The Liminality of Grief

Takeaways:

• Grief is not limited to the loss of loved ones.
• Uncertainty can lead to feelings of grief for lost safety and predictability.
• Slowing down is essential for processing grief.
• Finding clarity requires intentional reflection and presence.
• Grief can manifest as living loss, an ongoing and ambiguous experience.
• Anchoring ourselves in uncertainty involves returning to the body and small rituals.
• Community and connection can serve as powerful anchors during difficult times.
• Purposeful action can transform anxiety into focus and motion.
• Each person has a unique role to play in the process of transformation.
• You do not have to be okay to be worthy of love.

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

• Grief Tending Toolkit
• Access our online community

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• IG: @griefandlight
• griefandlight.com
• 1:1 Grief Support
• Subscribe to my newsletter

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers