Whole New Life

From "We Were Going To" to "I Get To": My Journey of Renewal

Stacy Ryan Season 3 Episode 3

When the future you planned suddenly vanishes, how do you move forward? After losing my husband to cancer in 2020, I faced the incredibly difficult journey of transforming our "we were going to" dreams into a new life of "I get to" opportunities.

This deeply personal episode takes you through the evolution of our marriage conversations—from the light, daily check-ins of our 20s to the profound end-of-life discussions where my husband encouraged me to find purpose without him. I share how our discussions changed through different life stages, and the gutting reality of sitting beside someone you love while they prepare you for a future they won't share.

My grief journey unfolded in distinct phases over four years. 2021 brought the robotic "I have to" survival mode, where simply getting through each day required tremendous effort. In 2022, I cautiously entered an "I guess I could" mindset, tentatively exploring new possibilities. By 2023, I developed the courage to try new things without expectations, which eventually blossomed into my current perspective: "I get to." This transformative mindset has opened doors to talents I never knew I possessed and opportunities I couldn't have imagined during those darkest days.

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