When Peace Is Not Free

Letting Go of Approval and Standing in Truth *Re-Upload*

In this episode of For the Love of Mr. Jones, I talk honestly about grieving my old self, the versions of me that learned to people-please, to shrink, and to fit in just to survive. I share how I lost myself trying to meet expectations that were never mine, how being “mature,” “strong,” and “put together” sometimes hid the fact that I’m still human, still healing, and still growing. I reflect on being different in a world that pressures people especially younger generations to blend in, perform, and bend their beliefs to be accepted. I open up about finding my people, standing firm in my values, and reaching a point in my 30s where I finally stopped caring who approved of me. This episode is about unlearning the need to be a doormat, affirming who I’ve become, and choosing authenticity over approval. If you’ve ever felt like you outgrew your old self or you’re learning how to stand firm in who you are. This conversation is for you. website: www.msjonespodcast.com Email: msjonespodcast@gmail.com [msjonespodcast@gmail.com]

Continuing Bonds After Loss

Grief changes everything including the way we see ourselves, our role as parents, and the future we imagined. In this episode of For the Love of Mr. Jones, we talk about what it means to continue loving someone who is no longer physically here, while learning how to keep living, growing, and showing up for the people who still need us. As grieving parents, we often find ourselves trying to answer difficult questions: Who am I now? How do I raise my children while carrying my own heartbreak? How do I honor the person I lost while creating a new version of life? We explore the idea of continuing bonds , the ways we maintain a connection with our loved ones through memories, traditions, conversations, and the love that remains. Because healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means learning how to carry love and loss together. This episode is for anyone navigating grief, especially parents trying to find themselves again while helping their children through their own journey. Now that’s some good grief. email: msjonespodcast@gmail.com [msjonespodcast@gmail.com] website www.msjonespodcast.com

The Hidden Side of Grief

In this episode of For the Love of Mr. Jones, I share a raw moment from my son’s football practice where he struggled through a drill and broke down emotionally. What he said in that moment opened up a deeper conversation about grief, including how it shows up in children, in parenting, and in everyday life situations we don’t always recognize as grief. This episode explores performance grief, unexpected emotional triggers, and what it means to keep going while carrying loss. website: www.msjonespodcast.com Email: msjonespodcast@gmail.com

The Ones Who Hold Us Together

This episode reflects on family in its fullest form, not just the family we are born into or the family we are raising, but the people who quietly hold us up through life. Through a trip to Texas, long country drives, deep conversations, and moments of joy and reflection, this story explores how healing is often found in connection, presence, and the people who make us feel like we belong even when life feels heavy. Website www.msjonespodcast.com [http://www.msjonespodcast.com] Email: msjonespodcast@gmail.com [msjonespodcast@gmail.com]

Grief Packs A Bag Too

This week, my children and I took an unexpected trip from California to Texas. We didn't move, we simply needed a change of scenery, a chance to breathe, and a break from the weight of everyday life. What I discovered is that grief doesn't stay home when we travel. It comes along for the journey. But so does love. In this episode, I share our trip to Texas, the warmth of family, a powerful conversation with a grieving father, and what I've learned about the belongings we hold onto after losing someone we love. email: msjonespodcast@gmail.com [msjonespodcast@gmail.com] website: www.msjonespodcast.com [http://www.msjonespodcast.com]