When the Dust Settles: Finding Yourself After Loss

A days ago, I shared a deeply personal story about losing both of my parents within three months—right after publishing In Search of You, a book that forced me to revisit my past, including my relationship with them. The timing was almost eerie. It was like I had uncovered parts of my story that needed healing, only to have them leave before I could fully process what it all meant.

At first, grief felt like an undertow, pulling me into a space where time didn’t make sense. The days blurred. I kept thinking, I should be doing something, but also, What does any of this even matter right now? It was disorienting, like I had lost my compass.

Then, something else happened. The dust began to settle. And I had to face an entirely new reality: Who am I now, without them?

It’s strange how loss forces you to redefine yourself. I spent years untangling the parts of me that were shaped by my parents—both the strengths and the struggles. And now, without them here, I’m learning what it means to carry their love, their lessons, and yes, even their flaws, in a way that honors them but also allows me to move forward as me.

And through all of this, one thing has been abundantly clear: the importance of building a business that allows for real life to happen.

Because life does happen. Loss happens. Change happens. The kind of hustle that requires you to always be “on” isn’t sustainable—not for the long run, and certainly not when you’re grieving. If there’s one lesson I keep coming back to, it’s this:

Your business should work for you, not the other way around.

I didn’t have to force myself back into work right away. Not because I didn’t care, but because I had put systems in place to ensure my business could keep running while I figured out how to breathe again. And that’s something I want every business owner to have—the ability to step away when they need to, knowing everything won’t come crashing down.

So if you’re in a season of transition, grief, or even just exhaustion, I hope you give yourself permission to pause. To lean on what you’ve built. To remember that your business is just one part of your life—not the whole thing.

And when the dust settles, I hope you come back stronger, clearer, and more you than ever before.

With resilience and gratitude,
Kasey