] Emily’s moveTHRU her Grief Journey After losing her husband to cancer, Emily didn't know what to do with her life moving forward. Emily's company, moveTHRU Grief, began as a group meeting in her spin studio. She created a safe space for her clients to feel their emotions without judgment. moveTHRU helps people acknowledge and deal with their grief by finding their identity and purpose. Once you find yourself again, you can go on to live your life to the fullest — even after tragedy. [09:00] Stepping Up Into Business It all began with Emily sharing her family’s grief journey through a GoFundMe page. Without realizing it, she was already meaning-making by telling her stories online. Emily found that sharing her experience was therapeutic and positively impacted other people. Sharing her life provided a new meaning to what she was doing. A heart-centered business is about sharing the wisdom and knowledge you have to speed others on their way, but it takes a lot of vulnerability. [12:53] Are All Grief Stories Supposed To Be Worthwhile?  Not every share on your socials needs a profound takeaway. Think of your social media presence as an online diary connecting you to people. Emily connected with other young widows, a connection she didn’t have before. Sharing her grief story was a mutually beneficial experience. Death and grief are complex topics to tackle. However, you don't need to judge or compare yourself to others; everyone's grief is valid. Emily: “My authentic experience of grief is just as valid as theirs. It's just that it's different. And, that's been a huge growth edge for me, in terms of learning to trust myself and not need that external validation, or permission to show up as I am.”   Emily is still balancing showing up as a marketer and a widow online.  There will be people online who will still support you even if your content evolves. You can still pursue what energizes you and not get pigeonholed by your niche. [20:27] Grief Teaches Us Emotional Mastery Love is beneath the pain. Allow yourself to feel the negative emotions and excavate them so that you get to the love. It takes time, but learn to trust your feelings. Ignoring your feelings won't make them disappear; it might intensify them instead. Be curious about your emotions and ask yourself, "Why am I feeling this way?"  It isn't about always being happy or being done with grief after some time. Don't let your mind make up stories about your feelings; trust your intuition. [25:29] Resilient Mindset in the Face of Grief or Overwhelm Businesses don’t run perfectly. A resilient mindset helps us handle low points and bounce back to better times. You develop a "grief muscle" as you face grief. This muscle builds into a resilient mindset that you can use elsewhere, even in entrepreneurship. You can grieve for someone alive, like when going through a breakup. You can also grieve for painful events like losing your job or living through a pandemic. Jamie: “Talking about this in the grand scheme of things, for the fact that there's businesses or strategies, but we're never gonna grow without some type of emotional mastery. I honestly think grief is like a boot camp. It's a masterclass in emotions and how to handle that.” [32:13] How Ian’s Legacy Shaped moveTHRU Ian, Emily’s husband, inspired her to pursue business instead of going back to corporate. moveTHRU has become her way of honoring his life through its impact on others. Even if your loved one is gone, celebrate their existence by doing the things they did back when they were still alive. They become our reason to push through with life.  We can’t control everything in life, but there’s power in choosing what to do with it. [36:34] Surprising Part Of Being An Entrepreneur Emily never thought that business would be fun, but she gets to be creative and share her heart every day. There's no right or wrong way to run a business. Entrepreneurship is fun, but it's a challenge. Having a supportive community can help you overcome the obstacles in your entrepreneurial journey. Jamie: “I'm the happiest I've ever been doesn't mean that I don't have a crying moment from time to time. But, I'm the happiest I've ever been because I know I can work myself through that. I know that I have a support system, a community, all of the things I would ever need to get back on top.” [39:18] Mastermind versus Course Programs Emily likes Masterminds because they support people for the time it takes to improve. Masterminds foster slow transformation.  The community built within a Mastermind feels like a family, which Emily likes because sometimes entrepreneurship can feel lonely. It offers a community to fall back on. There’s no judgment or need to explain much, because everyone’s going through similar experiences. Emily’s future mastermind will be about helping people turn their pain into a meaningful business. Just like her experience, but with the benefit of a community. [43:59] Dealing with People who Judge Your Limits Emily doesn’t have a background in mental health, and she does sometimes fear that her life experience alone won’t be enough.  When people judge you and start putting limits on what you can do, it says more about their limits than yours. Emily thinks she provides value through her experience as a widow, even without certifications. Knowledge from experience is powerful because you learn from the school of life. [45:50] The Meaning of Limitless Limitless is boundless and beyond time and space. Emily sees it through a grief lens on how love is an eternal connection. Death kills a person, not a relationship. About the Guest Emily Bingham founded moveTHRU Grief in March 2019 after the passing of her husband from cancer. She turned to physical exercise as a spin and barre instructor and as a former ballerina to deal with her grief. She developed the moveTHRU method, which uses the principles of Acceptance & Commitment Theory and the TEAR Model of Grief. Connect with Emily to learn more about grief: Instagram │ Website │Tiktok │ LinkedIn Enjoyed this Podcast on Using Grief for Emotional Mastery and the Benefits of a Community? Feeling grief and other negative emotions is part of being human. We can use them to achieve emotional mastery. Having a community for support will be a great help during tough times. If you learned a lot from this episode, subscribe and help us spread the word by sharing it! Leave a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in to this podcast, we'd appreciate it if you wrote us a review. You can also share it to help other entrepreneurs expand their network and create faster business growth.  Have any questions or want to leave a suggestion? Come say hi on the 'gram. Have questions about my coaching or takeaways from the episode: DM me @jamieratermann or contact me on my website! Also, you can connect with me on Twitter, @jamieratermann, and Linkedin: Jamie Ratermann. Thanks for listening! Stay tuned to my website for more episode updates and other exciting programs and resources.