What if grief isn’t only something we survive—but something that reveals how deeply we’ve loved?
In this episode of Grief 2 Growth, I sit down with Carl Manlan, author of I Can Breathe, for a powerful conversation about grief, fatherhood, emotional healing, identity, and legacy.
Carl lost his father as a young man. Years later, becoming a father himself brought some of that grief back to the surface and raised a profound question: How do you become the father you want to be when you can no longer have those conversations with your own father?
We also explore something many men struggle to discuss: expressing emotions and asking for help. As two Black men raised in different parts of the world, Carl and I discovered surprising similarities in how we experienced love growing up—and how we're trying to do things differently with the next generation.
Carl also shares how unexpectedly losing his job became a turning point that helped him finish I Can Breathe.
One insight captures the heart of our conversation:
“You only experience grief because you loved.”
In this episode, we explore:
• Grieving a parent and carrying that relationship forward
• Men, vulnerability, counseling, and emotional health
• Separating your identity from your career
• Responding instead of reacting to life's challenges
• Raising emotionally aware children
• Turning loss into legacy
• The story behind Carl’s I Can Breathe
📖 Carl’s book: I Can Breathe — available on Amazon
🔗 Connect with Carl: LinkedIn and Instagram
💬 Continue the conversation:
https://grief2growth.substack.com (https://grief2growth.substack.com/)
What part of Carl’s story resonated with you? Join us on Substack and share your experience with the Grief 2 Growth community.
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 (https://grief2growth.com/store)
Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. (https://grief2growth.com/substack)
I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them.
https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons
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