EP 4 Melani Robinson: Finding Purpose After Loss

Three years after the death of her husband, consumed with grief and at her lowest point, my podcast guest, Melani Robinson knew she had to find a way to create a new life. A young mother in her 40s, she found the courage to leave her home and all the memories of her life with her husband in Las Vegas, and moved across the country to New York City. There, she soon created a life and work that brought her back to life.

Listen to Melani’s inspirational story of finding her true purpose and passion after loss.

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Show Notes for Episode 4

Melani Robinson: Finding Purpose After Loss

Loss and Devastation

Melani shares the pivotal moment when her beloved second husband died. He was the love of her life. In her 40s, Melani was a young widow. She became so depressed, she reached a point where she didn’t want to go on. She felt life wasn’t worth living.

3:00 No one could relate to her loss. She couldn’t find a therapist or support group to work through the depression. She finally found a therapist on Yelp who helped her begin to find her way to the light.

Discovering Her Passion and Purpose

4:49: Melani realized she had spent her whole life as everyone’s cheerleader, but she didn’t have the courage to help herself. She didn’t know what she wanted to be ‘when she grew up’. She didn’t know what she felt passionate about.

6:14: She finally came to a point where she asked herself, “Do you want to curl up and die or create new memories for yourself?” She wants to live and start a new life. What she always loved was writing, and she decides to pursue a career as a writer. Without knowing exactly how she was going to make her dream come true, she musters the courage to drive from Las Vegas to New York City and create a new life in the Big Apple.

From Grief to a New Vibrant Life

7:15: Melani says, “It’s not a straight path from grief to finding the light again.” But, she bravely puts one foot in front of the other, and slowly discovers her true value…first as a dating blogger, and now as an author of her memoir about life in Russia with her husband.

13:30: What’s the secret to making your dreams and passions come to fruition? Melani says, “Get support. If you have a dream, that little flame, it’s important to get somebody to help you spark the flame to get bigger.”

14:45: Learn how to find your passion.

16:35: Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis

19:30: Melani talks about how failure was a necessary part of growth.

20:45: Melani tells a story of publishing an article. “It’s an ‘effing’ miracle that piece got published!” Listen to how she showed up, stood up, and spoke up as a woman of value.

The Future

25:19:“If you are honest about whatever you are doing, that is a gift. We’re all feeling these things, but I’m saying them. I hope my writing resonates with other people. I want to be a success. I want to sell my book. I want to do those things I was so scared to do.”

29:29: She loves watching her kids do the things she wished she’d done at their age, and it brings her so much joy.

Listen until the end, where you’ll hear Melani read the final chapter of her book. Get your tissues out…it’s THAT good!