Richard E. Grant on how permission from the person we loved and lost can put a pocketful of happiness in every day

"Because her edict was to find that pocketful of happiness in each day. Feeling no guilt seems an incredibly generous and welcome gift to have been unexpectedly given by her."

Richard E. Grant is an actor, author and director who has appeared in over 80 films and television programs, such as Withnail And I, Star Wars and was previously Oscar nominated for his supporting role in Can you Ever Forgive me?. His beloved wife Joan died in September 2021 after a battle with lung cancer and in September 2022 he released a memoir called A Pocketful of Happiness mostly written in the last year of his wife’s life.

In this episode we discuss:

• How grief is influenced by the circumstances of death and how not having regrets is an important factor that makes the difference between a good and bad death.
• Recognising that the process of grief is an oscillation between loss orientation and restoration orientation.
• Why it’s important we update our understanding of grief, it isn’t about forgetting and moving on but remembering and connecting, sometimes with the pain.
• How the love for the person who you’ve lost never dies.
• Why you can experience guilt in grief and allowing yourself a pocketful of happiness can protect you against guilt.
• We discuss how men and women grieve differently, and explore the possibility of new relationships after a partner has died.
• We discuss the parent/child relationship, touching on boundaries, connection and what might be ok and not ok to share.
• How much of life is down to luck and the power of our attitude in our outcome; when we manifest and believe in ourselves and see the negative as a challenge to be overcome rather than something that defeats us.
• How important it is for friends to support us in pre-bereavement, when we are bereaved and how distressed one becomes when close friends don't show up.

Find more information on Richard:

Website: https://www.richard-e-grant.com/

Instagram: @richard.e.grant

Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pocketful-Happiness-Richard-Grant/dp/1398519472

Support Links:

Cruse Bereavement Support: https://www.cruse.org.uk/

Good Grief Festival: https://goodgrieffest.com/

Grief Works app: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/grief-works-self-care-love/id1558867513

Join a mission to transform one million lives and become a money coach: https://octopusmoneycoach.com/become-a-financial-coach

A big thank you to our sponsor, Athletic Greens. Athletic Greens is offering Therapy Works listeners a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/therapyworks.

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