Grief and Joy – Let Them Coexist
In this episode of Grief Unfiltered, Krystle Hall explores a powerful question so many of us wrestle with: “Am I allowed to feel joy… even now?”
Through deeply personal storytelling, she shares the moment she realized joy and grief aren’t at war—they’re companions. From spontaneous laughter to sunshine on your face, these moments can feel both healing and heavy. Guilt shows up. The “shoulds” kick in. But what if allowing joy isn’t forgetting your person—it’s honoring them?
Krystle walks us through what it looks like to carry both, how joy doesn’t erase your grief, and how healing begins when you stop seeing joy as the enemy.
This episode is your permission slip to smile, laugh, and live—even with your grief riding shotgun.
📌 Timestamps:
[00:00] Welcome & intro: Why this episode matters
[00:31 The guilt of feeling joy after loss
[01:16] Life doesn’t stop when your world does
[02:39] Can joy mean forgetting them?
[03:40] Society’s unspoken grief “rules”
[04:58] If the roles were reversed—what would they want for you?
[06:16] When Krystle realized she wasn’t really living
[07:55] The slow return of joy, one small step at a time
[09:22] Relearning what it means to live
[10:45] Finding beauty in the tiny, ordinary things
[11:35] Joy doesn’t cancel grief—it honors your love
[13:17] The truth: Grief doesn’t shrink—you grow stronger
[14:50] The emotional “weightlifting” of healing
[15:53] Releasing guilt: step-by-step
[17:41] The fragility of life—and the power of choice
[18:35] Practicing small joys with intention
[19:53] What support (and resistance) can look like
[21:02] Naming your grief—Frankie returns 🫶
[22:43] Letting grief ride along, but not drive
[23:25] Final thoughts + invitation to connect
💬 Quotes to Remember:
- “Grief doesn’t demand your constant suffering. It just wants to be acknowledged.”
- “You’re not betraying your loved one by living. You’re honoring them by making the most of the life you still have.”
- “Let joy sit at the table too.”
🌿 Get Support:
🌱 Ready to grow through your grief? Get my Befriend Your Grief course for the support and tools needed to transform your pain into a meaningful journey. https://www.growthroughyourgrief.net/befriend-your-grief
🌧️ Want to see how your grief is affecting you? Download my free quiz and complete it at your own pace. https://www.growthroughyourgrief.net/how-grief-is-affecting-me
🌐 Website: https://www.growthroughyourgrief.net/
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