Episode Details

What happens when you spend your whole life taking care of others—and forget who you are? In this deeply moving conversation, Brian Smith talks with Debbie Weiss, a woman who’s worn many hats: caregiver, business owner, author, and now, a voice of possibility and hope. Debbie shares her incredible journey of caring for her father, her neurodivergent son, and her husband through terminal illness and mental health struggles.

She opens up about anticipatory grief, the complexity of feeling both relief and guilt, and how writing her memoir On Second Thought, Maybe I Can during her husband’s final days became an emotional lifeline. 💡

If you’ve ever felt stuck, invisible, or unsure how to move forward—this episode is for you.

🧭 What We Cover in This Episode:

• Why caregiving often starts before the loss occurs (anticipatory grief)
• The weight of caregiving as a daughter, spouse, and parent
• How Debbie found herself at 50—and reclaimed her life
• The emotional power of writing through grief ✍️
• How to shift from victim mindset to possibility mindset
• Why self-care isn’t selfish—especially for caregivers 💗
• Creating “A Sprinkle of Hearts”—and what hearts symbolize to Debbie
• Dating after loss: why there’s no right timeline

💬 Favorite Quotes:

“Living is stepping out of your comfort zone—even when you're afraid.” – Debbie Weiss
“Self-care is not selfish. It's essential for survival.”
“I thought I was being buried. But I was being planted.” – Brian Smith

🔗 Connect With Debbie Weiss:

🌐 Website: https://www.debbierweiss.com
🛍️ Shop: https://www.asprinkleofhearts.com
📚 Books on Amazon:

• On Second Thought, Maybe I Can
• The Sprinkle Effect
• Heart Whispers (Co-author)

🎧 Podcast: Maybe I Can

🧠 Reflection Prompt:

Have you ever felt like you lost yourself in caregiving or grief?
 What’s one small thing you could try—just for you—this week?
 Share your answer in our Facebook group:
 👉 grief2growth.com/community

🙏 Support the Show:

If this episode touched your heart, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or sharing it with a friend who needs encouragement.

You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.

Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. 

I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.

All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.

https://grief2g

The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.

Visit IANDS.org to register

The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. 

Visit IANDS.org to register

Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share