Grief is not something you “get over.” It’s something you learn to carry — like a heavy suitcase that never fully unpacks. You learn how to hold it differently, how to move with it, how to make room for both pain and peace. It’s been years since my mom passed, and I’m still learning from my grief every single day. There are moments when I feel strong, and others when I crumble out of nowhere. A scent, a song, a photo — it all still brings me back. And honestly? I think it alw

Grief has a way of making you point fingers — at life, at people, at timing, even at yourself. When my mom passed, I was angry. Angry at my family. Angry that we never got the chance for closure. I blamed everyone for the goodbye that never happened — because it was easier than facing the pain of what really hurt. I never said everything I needed to say. For a long time, I told myself it wasn’t my fault — that life just happened too fast. But deep down, I knew part of my s

Whew… this season of life feels different. Turning 37 has me reflecting on so much — the things I did in my 20s, the lessons I learned the hard way, and the things I thought I’d have figured out by now. Sometimes I look around and feel like I’m behind… like I should’ve been further along, more settled, or had a family of my own by this point. Friendships hit different. Some faded, some changed, and others still feel out of reach. I catch myself wishing people treated me the w

They say grief has five stages: denial , anger, bargaining , depression , and acceptance . But when you’re living it — really living it — you learn that those stages aren’t steps you climb and finish. They loop. They collide. They show up on random Wednesday morning when you thought you were okay. As a therapist, I’ve helped so many people through loss. I’ve walked clients through anger, guilt, and acceptance. I’ve held space for their tears, their questions, their “why me’

Nobody tells you that grief can make you act out of character. That it can make you say things you don’t mean, isolate yourself from people who love you, or make choices you never thought you’d make. It’s not because you’ve lost control — it’s because you’ve lost your center. When my world started shifting — losing my mom, stepping away from football, and saying goodbye to Energy and Queso — I found myself in spaces I didn’t belong in. Doing things I’d never done. Thinking in

I used to think I understood grief. I thought it only hit hard when you were deeply close to someone — when the bond was tight and unbreakable. So when my mother passed, I told myself I’d be okay. We weren’t that close. Our relationship had its distance, its silence, and its pain. I thought I had already accepted that — that I’d already done my grieving years before she took her last breath. But I was wrong. Grief doesn’t ask if you’re ready. It doesn’t check how close you

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Hey, Hey, to my blogger buddies! I have been gone for a while but I'm back and better!!! What have I been doing?? Well, I'll explain it...

Welcome!!!!! As you all know, each week I discuss a different topic, on my social media outlet, Lana The Influencer, LLC. About two...

HEY ALL, I have been gone for a couple of weeks due to a MAJOR job promotion and move. Trying to get back into the groove of things has...

WELCOME to my blog and happy Sunday!!! On my social media platforms,(Lana The Influencer, LLC) I post a unique topic each week and then...

WELCOME to my blog and happy Sunday!!! On my social media outlets (Lana The Influencer, LLC) I post a different topic each week and then...

WELCOME to my blog and Happy Monday!!! On my social media outlets (Lana The Influencer, LLC) I post a different topic each week and then...

Happy Sunday! On my social media outlets (Lana The Influencer, LLC) I post a different topic each week and I go into further detail with...

FINALLY, Welcome to MY blog!! If you are following me on my social media accounts (Lana The Influencer, LLC) you all know that I post...