Leave the Office Early Day

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.

The Day After You Begin Again

The Day After You Begin Again Starting over gets a lot of attention. The decision. The declaration. The fresh calendar. The new plan. But what happens after Day One? What happens when the excitement fades and ordinary life shows up again? In this episode of Travel thru Grief, Ellen explores the often-overlooked days that follow a new beginning. Whether you're rebuilding after loss, adjusting to a life transition, starting a new chapter, pursuing a goal, or simply trying to move forward one day at a time, this conversation is about the courage required to keep going. Because beginning again isn't usually a single moment. It's a series of choices. A series of mornings. A series of days when no one is applauding and no dramatic transformation has happened yet. It's the day after Day One. And the day after that. And the day after that. In this episode, you'll hear: • Why Day One is often easier than Day Two • The difference between inspiration and commitment • How small daily choices create lasting change • Why progress is rarely dramatic but often deeply meaningful • Ways to stay moving when motivation disappears • How transitions, grief, and personal growth all require patience with the process If you've recently started over—or you're trying to continue something you already started—this episode is a reminder that you don't have to do everything today. You only need to take the next step. Because a new life is rarely built in a single moment. It's built day after day. Reflection Questions • What have I already begun that deserves my continued attention? • Where am I expecting immediate results instead of steady progress? • What is one small choice I can make today that supports the life I'm creating? • What would change if I trusted the process a little more? Whisper of Permission You don't have to reinvent your life overnight. You don't have to have every answer. You don't have to move faster than your own healing. Keep showing up. Day after day. The story is still unfolding. Travel thru Grief is hosted by Ellen Beckemeyer and explores healing, hope, resilience, and finding your way forward after life's losses and transitions. #TravelThruGrief #BeginningAgain #StartingOver #LifeTransitions #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #GriefSupport #Resilience #MidlifeWomen #HopeForward

National Oklahoma Day and My Beginning

Travel Thru Grief Podcast National Oklahoma Day Bonus Episode Where the Road Begins: Celebrating Oklahoma Oklahoma is more than the place where this story started. It is where I was born, where I took my first steps, spoke my first words, and attended kindergarten before my family moved away. While I didn't grow up there, Oklahoma remains part of my origin story. In this National Oklahoma Day bonus episode, we explore the culture, history, resilience, and beauty of a state that is often misunderstood. From its Native American roots and tribal nations to its sweeping landscapes, music, art, and enduring spirit, Oklahoma offers a reminder that beginnings matter. In This Episode * Why Oklahoma will always be part of my story * The meaning of birthplace and belonging * Oklahoma's deep Native American heritage and the many tribal nations that call the state home * The resilience woven throughout Oklahoma's history * The landscapes, culture, and traditions that make Oklahoma unique * How our beginnings continue to shape us long after we leave them behind * What it means to honor where your journey started Reflection Questions * What place do you consider the beginning of your story? * How has that place shaped who you are today? * Is there somewhere from your past that still feels connected to your identity? * What roots continue to nourish you, even from a distance? Whisper of Permission You don't have to spend your whole life in a place for it to matter. Sometimes a beginning is enough. The places where our stories start remain part of us, whether we stay or go. Mentioned in This Episode * National Oklahoma Day * Native American heritage and tribal history in Oklahoma * Oklahoma's cultural and historical legacy Travel Thru Grief reminds us that there is a way thru. If this episode resonated with you, please follow, share, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Connect TravelThruGrief@gmail.com [TravelThruGrief@gmail.com] The Empty Seat Project Help us fill the world with stories of love that never leave. Send a photo of an empty chair, seat, bench, porch swing, theater seat, recliner, or any place that holds a memory. Email: TravelThruGrief@gmail.com [TravelThruGrief@gmail.com] Subject Line: Empty Seat Project

Start Over Day

Travel Thru Grief Podcast Bonus Episode – Start Over Day June 5, 2026 National Start Over Day invites us to think about fresh beginnings, but starting over isn't always about wiping the slate clean. More often, it's about taking everything you've learned and deciding what comes next. In this bonus episode, Ellen explores the many transitions we experience throughout life and the courage it takes to move forward when the future isn't fully clear. Along the way, she reflects on familiar stories from popular culture. Luke Skywalker had to leave behind the life he knew on Tatooine and repeatedly adapt as his journey unfolded. Bruce Wayne experienced unimaginable loss, but at some point he made a decision—not just to survive what happened, but to become Batman. Those stories raise an interesting question for all of us: When do we decide to step into the next version of ourselves? You'll hear reflections on: ✨ Why starting over is different from starting something brand new ✨ The role transitions play throughout our lives ✨ Letting go of the need for certainty ✨ Learning to move forward before the entire path is visible ✨ Finding courage during seasons of change ✨ Why life is often a series of adjustments and course corrections Reflection Questions * What are you being asked to begin again? * Is there something you've been postponing because you wanted more certainty? * What would change if you trusted yourself with the next step instead of demanding the entire roadmap? * What version of yourself is waiting on the other side of this transition? Whisper of Permission You don't have to know exactly where you're going. You only need enough courage to take the next step. Starting over isn't proof that you failed. Sometimes it's proof that you're still willing to live. The Empty Seat Project The Empty Seat Project is a worldwide storytelling initiative from Travel Thru Grief. Every empty seat tells a story. A recliner that sits untouched. A place at the dinner table. A front porch swing. A beach chair. A church pew. A passenger seat on a road trip. Some seats became empty because someone died. Others became empty because of divorce, distance, deployment, estrangement, illness, retirement, graduation, or another life transition. We are collecting 1,000 stories from around the world that remind us love, memories, and meaningful connections don't disappear simply because someone is no longer sitting beside us. To participate, send a photo of an empty seat and tell us the story behind it. Email: TravelThruGrief@gmail.com [TravelThruGrief@gmail.com] Subject Line: Empty Seat Project Your story may be featured in a future podcast episode, publication, exhibit, or community project as we help fill the world with stories of love that never leave.

Leave the Office Early Day

Episode 4 Show Notes Leave the Office Early Day Travel Thru Grief Podcast with Ellen Beckemeyer Tuesday, June 2, 2026 Sometimes leaving early is not laziness. Sometimes it is wisdom. Sometimes it is survival. And sometimes it is the first quiet act of remembering that your life belongs to you too. In this episode of Travel Thru Grief, Ellen explores the deeper meaning behind “Leave the Office Early Day” — not simply escaping work, but reclaiming space, breath, creativity, joy, and humanity in a world that often rewards exhaustion more than presence. This conversation is for the people who have spent years: * holding everything together, * being dependable, * carrying emotional labor, * surviving grief silently, * or postponing their own life until “someday.” Ellen shares reflections on: * burnout and emotional compression, * the difference between productivity and living, * reconnecting with hobbies, creativity, and movement, * why small acts of freedom matter, * and how leaving early can become a metaphor for choosing yourself again. The episode also explores: * work-life balance after grief or major life transitions, * the pressure to always be “on,” * the emotional importance of rest, * and the idea that healing sometimes begins with one small interruption to routine. Whether your “office” is a workplace, caregiving, emotional labor, or simply the constant pressure of survival, this episode offers permission to create a little more room for your own life. In This Episode * Why exhaustion is not a badge of honor * The hidden grief behind overworking * Tiny acts of freedom that restore identity * Creative ways to reconnect with yourself * The emotional importance of leaving space for joy * Why healing often begins with small changes * Reclaiming time without guilt Reflection Questions * When was the last time you truly felt off duty? * What part of your life feels overdue for breathing room? * If you left “early” emotionally, mentally, or physically… what would you do with that reclaimed space? * What tiny act of freedom could you give yourself this week? Gentle Invitation You do not have to earn rest by collapsing first. You do not have to wait for permission to live your own life. Sometimes healing begins with simply walking out the door a little earlier than usual. Connect with Travel Thru Grief Follow and listen on: * Spotify * Apple Podcasts * Other podcast platforms Travel Thru Grief Heal. Grow. Explore.