How to Pack When You're Emotionally Heavy

Alaska Day

Travel Thru Grief Podcast – Bonus Episode Alaska Day: Finding Wonder at the Edge of the World What if healing looked a little more like Alaska? In this special bonus episode of Travel Thru Grief, we're traveling to America's Last Frontier—a place where glaciers still move, mountains seem to touch the sky, and nature reminds us that life is both powerful and beautifully unpredictable. Together we'll explore: * The breathtaking beauty of the Northern Lights and why wonder can be part of healing. * Alaska's incredible wildlife, from majestic moose and caribou to bears, whales, bald eagles, and yes... we'll even clear up the common penguin misconception. * The cultures and traditions that make Alaska unlike anywhere else in the United States. * Favorite foods, outdoor adventures, and cozy small-town charm. * Why Hallmark-worthy moments can be found even in the most rugged landscapes. * How slowing down long enough to notice the world around us can help us reconnect with ourselves after loss or life transition. Whether Alaska is already on your bucket list or you've only dreamed of seeing it someday, this episode is an invitation to embrace curiosity, awe, and the possibility that healing sometimes begins simply by widening our view of the world. Reflection Prompt: Where in your life could you use a little more wonder? What destination—or even what place close to home—might help you remember that there is still beauty waiting to be discovered? If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use a little encouragement today. Remember, no matter where life takes you, there is always a way thru. ❤️ Dedicated to my friend Alexis who lives in Alaska.

Fireflies, a Softer Summer

🌿 Fireflies: A Softer Summer Travel Thru Grief Podcast | Tuesday, June 23, 2026 Summer has a way of convincing us that we should be doing more. More trips. More plans. More activities. More memories. But some of the sweetest summers aren't built around a calendar full of events. They're found in ordinary evenings, conversations on the porch, neighborhood walks, favorite songs playing from open windows, and the quiet moments that somehow become the ones we remember most. In this episode, Ellen reflects on the slower rhythms of summer and the memories that linger long after the season ends. From childhood evenings and family traditions to the simple pleasures that connect us across generations and cultures, this conversation is an invitation to release the pressure to make summer extraordinary and instead allow it to be meaningful. Like fireflies appearing one by one, joy doesn't always arrive in grand moments. Sometimes it shows up softly. In this episode: ✨ Why summer memories are often rooted in ordinary moments ✨ How grief and life transitions can change the way we experience the season ✨ The difference between making memories and trying to manufacture them ✨ Childhood rituals, neighborhood traditions, and simple pleasures shared around the world ✨ Why slowing down may be exactly what your soul needs right now ✨ A gentle reminder that life doesn't have to be full to be beautiful Whether your summer feels busy, quiet, joyful, lonely, or somewhere in between, there is room for grace. Because sometimes what matters most isn't doing more. It's noticing what's already here. Reflection Prompt What simple moments from summer have stayed with you through the years, and what small joys might you still make room for this season? Whisper of Permission You don't have to create the perfect summer. You don't have to keep up with anyone else's pace. You are allowed to slow down. You are allowed to savor. You are allowed to let this season be softer. 🎙 Travel Thru Grief with Ellen Beckemeyer Healing. Hope. Moving forward. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you enjoy podcasts. #TravelThruGrief #GriefJourney #MidlifeWomen #SummerMemories #Fireflies #SlowerLiving #HealingJourney #WidowLife #LifeTransitions #PodcastCommunity

Father's Day

Travel Thru Grief Podcast Sunday, June 21, 2026 In Memory of Dad Father's Day can be a beautiful day. It can also be a complicated one. For some, it is backyard cookouts, golf outings, fishing trips, phone calls, and family photos. For others, it is an empty chair, an unanswered phone number, a favorite coffee mug that still sits in the cabinet, or a memory that arrives unexpectedly. In this Father's Day bonus episode, Ellen reflects on what it means to remember the men who helped shape us—the fathers we loved, the fathers we lost, the father figures who stepped in when they didn't have to, and even the relationships that were complicated or unfinished. This episode explores the many layers of Father's Day: * Missing the person who is no longer here * Missing who you were when they were alive * The memories attached to ordinary objects * Old photographs and handwritten notes * Traditions that continue long after someone is gone * The lessons, values, and stories we carry forward * The ways grief and gratitude can exist together Whether your father was your greatest supporter, a complicated chapter in your story, or someone you wish you had known differently, this conversation creates space for all of it. Because grief is not measured by perfection. It is measured by connection. And love does not disappear simply because someone is no longer physically present. Reflection Questions * What is one lesson your father taught you that still influences your life today? * What object, place, or tradition instantly reminds you of him? * If you could spend one more afternoon together, how would you spend it? * What part of him continues to live on through you? Whisper of Permission You do not have to celebrate Father's Day the way anyone else does. You are allowed to laugh. You are allowed to cry. You are allowed to remember. You are allowed to miss him. And you are allowed to carry both love and loss in the same heart. Connect Share your story at TravelThruGrief@gmail.com [http://TravelThruGrief.com] Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. Travel Thru Grief Healing. Hope. Moving Forward. 🐝💜🏝️🌅

Wanna Get Away Day

Travel Thru Grief Podcast – Bonus Episode Wanna Get Away Day Thursday, June 18, 2026 Sometimes we all feel the urge to get away. Not because life is bad. Not because we're running from something. Sometimes we simply need space to breathe, think, rest, and remember who we are beneath the responsibilities, appointments, grief, expectations, and noise. As a child, getting away might have meant disappearing into a favorite television show, a book, a daydream, or a summer afternoon. As adults, it can look like a road trip, a beach vacation, a weekend retreat, a quiet walk, or even a few uninterrupted moments on the back porch. In this bonus episode, Ellen reflects on the deeper meaning behind the desire to get away and how that longing often has less to do with escape and more to do with renewal. Together, we'll explore: • The difference between running away and reconnecting with yourself • Why changing your environment can shift your perspective • The role travel plays in healing, reflection, and possibility • How grief can make us crave distance, adventure, or simply a break from routine • Why sometimes the best plan really is no plan at all Whether you're preparing for a major trip, dreaming about one, or simply needing a mental vacation from everyday life, this conversation offers permission to pause, breathe deeply, and return a little more yourself. Reflection Question: Where do you go when you need to reconnect with yourself—and what helps you return refreshed? Whisper of Permission: You don't have to earn rest. You don't have to justify a pause. Sometimes stepping away is exactly what allows you to step back into your life with greater clarity, energy, and gratitude. Travel Thru Grief Podcast Healing. Hope. Moving Forward. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, RSS.com [http://RSS.com], and wherever you enjoy podcasts. #WannaGetAwayDay #TravelThruGrief #GriefJourney #HealingAfterLoss #MidlifeWomen #WidowSupport #LifeTransitions #EmotionalHealing #TravelForTheSoul #HopeAndHealing #TravelThruGriefPodcast #ThereIsAWayThru

The Desire to Get Away

The Desire to Get Away Have you ever felt the urge to pack a bag, get in the car, board a plane, or simply disappear for a little while? Most of us assume that desire means we're trying to escape something. But what if it's actually a sign that part of us is trying to come alive again? In this episode of Travel thru Grief, Ellen explores the deeper meaning behind the desire to get away. Drawing from childhood memories, years of travel, and the losses that reshaped her life, she reflects on the difference between running away from life and participating more fully in it. This conversation isn't really about vacations. It's about perspective. It's about stepping outside the routines, expectations, and stories that have become too small for who you're becoming. It's about remembering that the world is larger than the version of it we see every day. And sometimes, a little distance helps us hear ourselves again. In This Episode * Why the desire to travel isn't always about escape * The difference between running away and moving toward something * Childhood memories of discovering the world through television * How grief changed Ellen's relationship with travel * The role of curiosity in healing and growth * Why traditions, cultures, and everyday lives fascinate us * The difference between the marketed world and the actual world * How travel can help us reconnect with wonder, possibility, and ourselves * What it means to remember you are meant for more Reflection Questions * When was the last time you felt the desire to get away? * What do you think you were really longing for? * Is there a place you've always wanted to visit? * What part of yourself might be waiting there? * Where in your life could you use a little more perspective? Whisper of Permission You don't have to travel across an ocean to change your perspective. Sometimes a new road, a new conversation, a new experience, or a new way of looking at your life is enough. The desire to get away may not be asking you to leave your life behind. It may simply be inviting you to participate in it more fully. Travel thru Grief Podcast Hosted by Ellen Beckemeyer Healing. Hope. Moving Forward. 🌐 https://paperbell.me/ellen-beckemeyer [https://paperbell.me/ellen-beckemeyer] 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms.