JessVsGrief

I originally started JessVsGrief on TikTok.

My husband Rodney passed away on May 9, 2024, and about 18 months later I started making TikTok videos to share what my experience with grief has been like. I talked about the daily struggles, the emotions, and the different stages of grief. One thing I quickly realized is that grief is not linear. It does not move neatly from one stage to the next. It is messy and unpredictable, and sometimes you can feel stuck in one place for a really long time.

Through those videos, I began sharing what this journey has really looked like for me. Losing Rodney did not just mean losing my husband. It felt like I lost my identity too. I have been trying to figure out who I am now and what my life looks like without him.

It is a process I never imagined I would be going through.

This past year I even bought a new house on my own, something I never expected to do without him. Learning how to move forward while still honoring Rodney and the life we had together is something that can be very hard to process.

Over time, I realized I wanted a space where I could write more deeply and document this journey in a different way. TikTok allowed me to share quick moments and thoughts, but a blog felt like a place where I could slow down and really reflect.

Life now is a strange mix of things I never expected to navigate on my own. There is grief, job searching, reopening my Etsy shop after taking time away, learning how to be a homeowner on my own, and sharing life with my five cats and my puppy Biscotti. Some days feel heavy, and other days bring small wins that remind me life is still moving forward.

Starting JessVsGrief and sharing my journey has helped me work through some of those emotions. My hope is that by sharing my experiences, someone else who is walking through grief might feel a little less alone.

Grief can be incredibly isolating, but maybe by talking about it openly we can remind each other that we are not the only ones going through it.

I do not have everything figured out, and I do not pretend to understand grief in any perfect way. I am simply living through it one day at a time. JessVsGrief is just a place where I can share that reality. The hard days, the small wins, and everything in between.

If you are walking through grief too, I hope this space reminds you that you are not alone.