A Letter to My 8-Year-Old Self: Living 36 Years Without My Mother

In this special bonus episode of The Life Shift Podcast, I mark the 36th anniversary of my mom’s passing by sharing something deeply personal. Usually, I’m the one listening as guests reflect on their life-altering moments. But today, I turn the question back on myself.

What would I tell the 8-year-old version of me – the boy who lost his mom in 1989 and had no choice but to grow up too quickly?

I share a letter I wrote to that younger self. It’s about grief, silence, perfectionism, and the long journey toward finally letting myself feel. It’s also about learning that our stories, even the messy ones, can help others heal.

This is both a remembrance and an offering – a way of honoring the little boy I once was, the mom I still miss, and the community of people who remind me that love and loss can coexist.

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The Life Shift shares real and honest conversations about the moments that change us. Host Matt Gilhooly sits with guests as they tell true stories of life-changing events, unexpected challenges, and quiet awakenings that shaped who they are today.

Each episode offers meaningful and candid storytelling about grief, healing, resilience, identity, and growth. These are the personal stories that remind us what it feels like to be human. These are the turning points that stay with us.

If you are drawn to personal growth, emotional well-being, or stories of how people rebuild after loss, this show offers a gentle place to land. Listeners come for the life changes. They stay for the connection.

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For more information, please visit https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com