Loss and grief, we have all experienced this in our lives, the death of a loved one, divorce are two that usually come to mind but d loss can come in many forms. Over the last six months we have all experienced loss during isolation with COVID-19. Loss of freedom as we were restricted to our homes, loss of communication and socialisation, for some even loss of jobs and income and some have lost family members to COVID-19.
In this episode, my guest in Conversation is Karen Chaston, a beyond loss mentor, business owner and international speaker. Karen has faced the unimaginable loss of her 27 year old son who died suddenly in 2011. Karen shares her story, how her life changed and how she found the strength to move forward in life and forge a new career helping others through her business Live Love by Design.
Beyond Loss to Living a Life You Love
A Summary of our Conversation
In conversation, I asked Karen to share her story and her experience losing her son so suddenly and then being made redundant from her CFO position. Karen admitted that her way of coping was to avoid it all. She went back to work, after Dan’s death, ate too much and drank too much and then felt the blow of redundancy.
We covered how Karen overcame not only the loss of her son, but also her job when she was made redundant. Karen felt that these two huge losses in her life were messages for her to move forward and make changes to her own life. Karen took time out to listen to her ‘gut’ and started a process on another path to become a Life Coach. This led her to realise that she needed to look after herself and that putting ourselves first isn’t selfish but improves our relationships.
I am the only person that I am going to spend my entire life with
Karen Chaston
Karen now helps others overcome loss through her company Live Live by Design with the help of inspiration from her son, Dan from the other side. Karen explains that Dan is a co-founder because he is constantly with her, feeding her ideas and supporting her.Karen helps others realise that after loss we don’t have to stop living and put life on hold.
Karen also shared her list of over 40 different loss events that can affect our lives and also discussed the effects of COVID-19. Other losses include:
- Loss of Approval
- Loss of Mobility
- Menopause
- Empty Nester
Note: If you are experiencing grief or loss and finding it difficult to cope, reach out to your doctor of phone Lifeline 13 11 14
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Meet Karen
Karen Chaston is a business owner, beyond loss mentor and international keynote speaker who has shared the stage with Marianne Williamson, Jamie-Lee Curtis, Valerie Harper and Dr Ellie Drake.
She is the author of eight books and numerous e-books as well as an online TV show host and podcaster.
In her corporate career Karen was a Chief Financial Officer of a publicly listed company and a senior manager for more than 25 years.
She still maintains her C.P.A. status. In her corporate career Karen was a Chief Financial Officer of a publicly listed company and a senior manager for more than 25 years. She still maintains her C.P.A. status.
In July 2011, Karen’s life changed forever when her 27-year-old son, Dan, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away at her back door.
Within 15 months, Karen resigned from her CFO role and began a personal, professional and spiritual journey culminating in her becoming a beyond loss expert and co-founding her business: Live Love By Design. Karen’s first-hand experience assisted in her creating the Beyond Loss retreats and programs (delivered physically and virtually) which demonstrate the correlations between loss and all areas of your life.
When individuals embrace these concepts, you will easily move beyond any kind of loss and create a better everyday life. When companies embrace these concepts, they unlock the people and profits connection.
Providing tangible solutions that will help them to make the best possible product, offer the best possible customer experience and build the strongest possible company.
Her motto is:
“Life is too short to be suffering from any kind of loss, unwrap the gift this has brought and then design a life that you live and love.”
Karen Chaston
14 Comments
Hi Sue, What a terrible loss for Karen and how amazing she was able to find a life she loved. What an inspiring post, Toni x
Karen is amazing Toni and such an inspiration. She is going to be a regular on the podcast which I’m looking forward to. x
Hi, Sue – Thank you for introducing us to Karen. What a terrible tragedy! I could scarcely breath when I listened to what she went to — a parent’s worse fear. The fact that Karen was able to draw from this experience to help others is remarkably inspirational. This is an extremely powerful video.
Hi Donna, I can’t imagine losing one of my children and Karen is such an inspiration. I really enjoyed the interview and she has accepted to be a regular guest on the podcast which is exciting. x
Oh my! Karen has been through so much but I love her way of dealing with things. Another great interview – thanks Sue.
Karen is very inspiring Debbie and I’m looking forward to having here as a regular guest on the podcast. xx
I love Karens motto xx Thank you for bringing Karen to us, she inspires me to do greater things xx
Thanks Bree, Karen is a very special woman. xx
What an inspirational woman and her bio shows how she’s turned such an indescribable loss into something that wonderfully helps others. I’ll definitely be tuning in to have a listen to her wise words x
Hi Leanne, Karen has really shown courage and inspiration in coming to terms with the loss of her son. I hope you enjoy the interview. x
Thanks for introducing Karen to us Sue. I felt very sad reading about her tragedy. But great to see that Karen has made the most of her circumstances.
Hi Jen, I’m sure you would know exactly how Karen was feeling as you have experienced similar with your darling son. You are both inspirational women. xx
I can’t imagine losing a child like this. What an amazing woman to have rebuilt her life and used such a terrible incident to help others in such a positive way.
Karen is such an inspiration Sue-Anne, I can’t imagine this kind of loss and yet she has come through with such grace and dignity. x