Episode Details

If you’ve ever grieved a dream that didn’t turn out the way you expected, or a life that wasn’t what you hoped for,  this conversation is for you. Have you ever looked at someone else’s life and thought, “must be nice”? Or caught yourself wondering “Is this really what life was supposed to look like?” Do you ever assume other people’s lives are better than yours, maybe even easy or perfect? If so, you’re far from alone.  Behind the smiling photos and highlight reels, almost all of us are carrying quiet losses that no one else can see. How can we find meaning amidst the unmet dreams, disappointments, and hidden losses we all have? How can we grieve ongoing losses and disappointments while transcending them at the same time? How do we find joy, peace and beauty amidst the big and small heartbreaks around us and inside us? The visible and invisible pain of this life? 

In this episode, Dr. Beth Capecchi sits down with her friend, editor, and publisher Chad Prevost of Crossroads Publishing Group to talk through the heart of her upcoming book on hidden losses and quiet grief. Together they explore where our hopes and expectations come from, when high expectations serve us and when they set us up for disappointment, and why so many people feel behind even when they look like they’re thriving. Drawing on twenty years of hearing people’s stories as a psychologist, Beth offers a realistic, faith-filled reminder that life is both hard and beautiful, and that none of us walk through it alone.

What You’ll Learn

• Why comparison, social media, and our achievement-driven culture make so many people feel like they’re falling short

• How expectations shape our happiness, and the difference between aspiring high and tying your worth to outcomes

• Why most of us either copy our parents or rebel against them, and what it looks like to move beyond both

• How constraints and boundaries can actually bring freedom, clarity, and creativity

• Why “life is hard” can be a comforting truth, and how faith offers hope in the middle of it

• A simple practice for living with fewer regrets: anticipate them now, while you can still make changes

About Our Guest

Chad Prevost is a writer, editor, coach, and publisher at Crossroads Publishing Group, where he is currently helping Dr. Beth bring her first book to life (tentatively releasing February 2027). He also hosts the podcast Difficulty: Creativity, Meaning, and the Hard Work of a Life, exploring how we find purpose through life’s challenges.

• Website: https://chadprevost.com/

• Crossroads Publishing Group: https://crossroadspublishing.group/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chadprevost

If you’ve ever grieved a dream that didn’t turn out the way you hoped, this conversation is for you. Take a few minutes after listening to reflect on the expectations you’re carrying, and share this episode with someone who might need the reminder that they’re not alone. Find more resources at www.neverperfect.org.

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