Lisa Potter - End of Life Guide & Celebrant - Gold Coast

02/02/2025

🙋‍♀️Put Yourself First🙋‍♀️

I've decided that this year, every time someone asks me for advice or I offer suggestions to others for selfcare practices I am going to ask myself if I need it too.

I worked in an environment for a time where asking and responding to what people actually needed was non existent. Ive come to realise that I have to do more for myself first.

So here's one of the fun and satisfying experiences I've recently done, its called letting go plates. Thank you to my beautiful friend for encouraging me to do it with her.

You can write down anything that you want to let go of and smash to pieces, bad habits, negative beliefs and behaviours, certain people, places or experiences.

I wrote down the names of every person or place that still brought up some kind of negative charge in me, when I thought of them. People that had hurt me, or wronged me or who I no longer wanted to have any place or space in my thoughts or life. That doesn't mean I havent done the work on the hurt or incident, but I desire to let all of it go completely and have no more energetic tie to who I am now.

It was deeply satisfying to smash this plate in to smaller pieces. I was shocked to see that those that had the strongest hold on me were the names that refused to break apart. The strangest thing was my Dads name wouldn't smash at all. And I got a very direct and loving message that he was still with me and was going to do better. So I respected that and didn't smash his name apart.

I wont post the before image, just in case you see your name on it!!!

01/02/2025

⚰⚱🪦Immersion events.

If you are a death curious and/or comfortable soul - what would be your idea of a unique event to attend?

Im tired of coming up with ideas, and am genuinely keen to hear what YOU would like to go to and be involved in. So hit me with your wish list. Throw some random ideas out there!

In the past these are some possible events in the making:

💀 a tour day of end of life spaces - a funeral home, a crematorium, a mortuary, a cemetery.

💀 a picnic and death chat in a cemetery.

♥️ grief circle on a boat.

💀 embracing life by delving in to fears of death. Event held at a funeral home.

💀 a death themed performance event - come and share your music, slam poetry, original poems, monologues, stand up comedy - all death and dying related.

26/01/2025

Do you have a fear of death? Genuinely keen to know....
Its okay to admit it. At least 20% of us do!

25/01/2025

What great advice. Not expecting to transport yourself from grieving to healing, but having permission to find pockets of happiness regularly along the way.

You are allowed to still feel joy and happiness in your grieving.
❤🌺❤🌺❤🌺

25/01/2025

25/01/2025

🌺On the day I was born, death started its slow walk towards me. Not hurrying.🌺

Life itself guarantees loss. For some, numerous losses. Losses in every sense.

Loss of friendships. Loss of a career or business. Loss of a relationship or marriage. Loss of a pregnancy. Loss of your health. Loss of your purpose. Loss of your sense of self of identity. Loss of hope or trust. Loss of people you love.

Life cannot be journeyed through without endings, separations, losses and deaths. Its impossible to live a life so sheltered.

But here's my take.

We are meant to embrace our grief that arises from loss and come to know it, to work consciously with it, to figure out who we are now, on the other side of it.

If we start this conscious work earlier in life then each consecutive grief worthy experience may be a little easier to bear. We may have tools to support ourselves. It may be more humbling or we may feel more able to navigate it. What if we chose to embrace grief as an expected transition and walked with it, rather than ignoring it, redirecting our attention in unhealthy ways, pushing it down or numbing ourselves out.

I feel like life asks us to work with our grief so that, in time, we can face our own biggest grief in letting go of all of our attachments when we must die and transition from life itself. Saying goodbye to all things, all friends, all the people we love, all the memories.

If we were all taught about grief, if it was normalised and we had tools and support from when we were young, we would be better at recognising our grief and more conscious in allowing ourselves to grieve.

Theres no denying that we live in a grief illiterate and death phobic culture.

Which is just crazy when you think about it.

Why do we actively avoid and deny the absolute truth of our existence?

24/01/2025

- DONT HAVE ANY REGRETS -

Do you ever take some time to contemplate getting to the end of your life? Whether thats in 5 years, 20 years or 50 years?

That's assuming you have the blessing of knowing your life is coming to an end or having time for self review and contemplation before death greets you.

One of the TOP regrets of the dying is that many people wish that they had the COURAGE to live a life true to themselves, not a life that others expected of them. Another top regret is that people wish they hadn't worked so hard.

Life is full of expectations, do well in school, go to University, get a 'good' job i.e one that pays well and is secure, find your soul mate, have 2.5 children, buy a house, save for retirement. But do we spend the most precious supply we have, that is our time, on toiling for these things instead of living our truth? Why do so many of us conform to societys and our families expectations?

Why do we do this when so many people end up regretting living this way when their life time is up?

I've learnt the hard way that soul crushing jobs, in a bid to have financial security, is not the path to a satisfying life. I know that time is precious, my work in the end of life space has imprinted that firmly on my knowing. Why pass the time with people and in places and spaces that don't feel aligned? That create a deficit in you?

What will be your top regrets when the time you have been gifted with is spent ❓

12/01/2025

🎭GRIEF HIDES BENEATH OTHER EXPRESSIONS🎭

We humans are a fascinating lot.

We are complex and messy and wonderful, intuitive and self sabotaging. We are chaotic and changeable and loveable.

The more I speak to people about what is present in their lives and the more I observe certain ongoing patterns and behaviours, the more I notice that many people have masked grief with something else.

Unrecognised or unprocessed grief often shows its face in our lives as something different. Often anger. Sometimes as a need to control. Sometimes as something that needs to be repressed.

And I've observed that many people living with drug and alcohol addictions actually have chosen these socially acceptable self medications, as ways to numb out, redirect or distract from something that they dont know is there, or don't want to face.

We are clever enough to find solutions to our pain, consciously or unconsciously, but they are not always the healthiest options for us.

Sometimes there are cumulative traumas, hurts, and grief worthy events in our lifetime that we have chosen not to acknowledge or look at, which results in our expression of this pain to grow over time. Angrier. Aggressive. Sadder. Drinking more. More depressed. Looking to pharmaceuticals.

Grief is not mysterious. It is a physiological response to loss, change and endings that hurt us. If we ignore our grief, she is a wise, stubborn, constant who will stay with us and show up in other ways.

Sitting with our behaviours and companioning them long enough we may come to realise the truth of why we do what we do and why we act like we act.

Go deeper. Ask yourself more questions.

You hold all of the answers.

04/01/2025

First day of the first month of the year that we are in.

I commenced this year with no resolutions. No commitments to do better or be better. Applying expectations to my self is not the way I wish to begin.

I started this year with releasing. Letting go of that which no longer serves me.

Acknowledging all of the things I choose to farewell. Many things I have determined consciously will not be following me in to this year 2025. They will remain firmly where they belong. Past. Done and dusted.

Release.
Relief.
Relive.

#2025

30/12/2024

🌊R E L E A S I N G. 2 0 2 4🌊

♥️I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone that has loved and supported me throughout 2024, both professionally and personally.♥️

What a massive year it has been of insights, growth, accelerated learnings and endings. It has been hectic at times but I don't regret any of it, I can however admit to feeling a mighty sense of relief and release that the year is fast rolling to a close.

There will be more offerings available in 2025, particularly grief support groups as there has been an upsurge in requests for this.

It doesn't require a new year or a first day on the calendar to commit to yourself. Any day, any time you can prioritise what is important to you and greater devotion to your self care.

I am starting the new year with a release and farewell ritual with a friend, so setting strong intentions for what lies ahead.

Be well. Be safe. Be loving.
Here's to dreaming your dreams in to reality in 2025!
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

28/12/2024

🔘 Grief support group & circle starting up again in 2025!
Follow and share for the upcoming dates 🔘

27/12/2024

Dont put off saying what you actually feel to people that you love and appreciate.
💕💚💕💚

24/12/2024

You are free to feel whatever is true for you this Christmas. Just because the world says it a time of merry, of joy, of sharing and caring, you are free to be and feel whatever is true for you. But know

♥️You are worthy
♥️You are beautiful
♥️You are loved

Remember, you don't need...
to be merry and joyful this Christmas.
If instead, you're feeling blue or alone.
And you don't have to be brimming
with festive cheer, if you're struggling
to find your own.

The Christmas season can be especially hard
when loved ones are no longer around.
Memories start to surface, with certain
songs, sights and sounds.

Give yourself permission and space to
'feel your feelings', for every emotion
has its own purpose and meaning.
If you're feeling stressed, full of sorrow or pain.
Invite those feelings in, let them sit with you,
for a while, they are never in vain.

Let your tears fall,
release those sad thoughts.
If you need a hug, or comfort,
perhaps, tell someone you trust.
Give them a call.

Remember, it's okay not to feel ok...
After all...

Christmas is a time for love and peace.
And that includes being kind to yourself.
So be extra gentle with your heart please.
Acknowledge your worries...
Reach out and talk to someone, you trust.
For it may help, your pain soften a little and ease.

And if nobody has told you this today.

You are worthy,
you are beautiful and you are loved.

~ 'Christmas Blues' by Demelza Dhotel ~ Demelza Dhotel

~ Art by Nino Chakvetadze

17/12/2024

💀DeAtH aNxIeTy💀

It's common. It's valid.

We fear what we don't know or understand and we fear the thing that ends the lives of people we love, leaving us deep in grief.

If you fear death (and I honestly don't, well not the 'what happens after this' bit), if you have known fears and death anxiety - what do YOU think you need to combat those fears?

Would you approach it the same way we would deal with other fears? Hypnotherapy, desensitisation therapy, education and talk therapy?

Are you willing to truly face off with your fear?

What do you think would most likely work for you?

What exactly are you fearful of?
Have you actually unpacked the 'what'.

I find it interesting that death is artistically portrayed as this terrifying spectre, 'coming for us' all. Although this looks like a rather congenial death with sickle and an outstretched hand 😊

14/12/2024

Leading up to Christmas and the holidays is not always a magical time of the year for everyone.

In fact when faced with challenges and losses this time of year can be the hardest, with others around you seemingly revelling in the season of giving and connecting and holidaying.

Challenges can be exacerbated for those facing the death of a beloved and the anniversary every year thereafter at this time of year. For those without an income or facing financial challenges. For those recently diagnosed with a serious health condition. For those struggling with mental health issues or addictions. For those facing homelessness or housing issues. For those that don't have family or friends to spend this time with.

It can be stressful, and financially impossible, and lonely, and isolating and guilt ridden.

Christmas is a societal construct and it tends to highlight the ever increasing gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'.

Like Amy says, its better to give love. And kindness and time and extend your awareness to others.

♥️🫂♥️🫂