Author Archives: allisonljensen

He Can Do That When He Gets Back… Oh, Wait

One of the hardest stages of grief to work through, understandably, is acceptance.  “Acceptance is not about liking a situation. It is about acknowledging all that has been lost and learning to live with that loss.” -Elisabeth Kübler-Ross & David Kessler Right now, I have almost completely accepted that my Dad is gone and there’sContinue reading “He Can Do That When He Gets Back… Oh, Wait”

Going All-in on Holidays and Seasons

As many people have already seen, I started embracing fall in August.  I’ve been ordering pumpkin spice lattes, updating my fall wardrobe (I am wearing a pair of leggings with pumpkins on them as I write this) and filling my apartment with fall decorations.  I even have my Halloween costume added to an Amazon soonContinue reading “Going All-in on Holidays and Seasons”

Grief-Brain + Emotional Burnout

This blog took three weeks to write, because unsurprisingly, writing about burnout when you are actively burnt out is incredibly difficult. It’s been said about grief:  “It doesn’t get easier. You just get stronger.” -unknown.  I fully believe this. And actually, I would add (and emphasize) that it gets harder. Like, a lot harder. YouContinue reading “Grief-Brain + Emotional Burnout”

5 Ways to Promote Liver Health

Plus, signs of liver disease. Please note: I am not trying to provide medical advice in this post. I am only sharing and reflecting what I learned from my family’s recent experience and my research on the subject. We’ve all been there: “Lol, this quarantine is going to be so bad for my liver!” “Oh,Continue reading “5 Ways to Promote Liver Health”

The Polar Bear in the Room

To help me understand myself a little better as I navigate The Unimaginable, I have been reading a lot of books about grief and resilience lately. Most recently, I finished “Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy” by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. One of the things that stood out to me theContinue reading “The Polar Bear in the Room”

Mindfulness Tips for Online Meetings and Events

Before you read this post, pause for a moment and take a deep breath, and stretch your neck and shoulders. I have spent the year balancing my regular work-from-home workload with my board role and stress over my Dad’s health. Now, that stress has been replaced by grief.  It’s all taking a huge toll onContinue reading “Mindfulness Tips for Online Meetings and Events”

You Don’t Have to Feel Alright to Be Alright

The theme of this blog (as a whole, not just this post) is understanding that in spite of everything that has happened this year, I will eventually be alright. But there is a big difference in knowing that you will be alright, and actually feeling alright. And feeling alright certainly does not happen very often.Continue reading “You Don’t Have to Feel Alright to Be Alright”

Sometimes You Just Need to Smash Something

Sometime in June or July, the song “Break Stuff” by Limp Bizkit became my personal anthem. Dad was very sick, the doctors couldn’t seem to make up their minds on how to treat him, and all I wanted to do was break something out of frustration. After a series of extremely distressing events culminating inContinue reading “Sometimes You Just Need to Smash Something”