The Beautiful Side of Grief - 110. What WILLIAM would want

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Show Notes

How does a grieving, introverted dad cope with the loss of his 9 year old son after a magical day of skiing? He goes within - deep within. And from that emerges an incredibly insightful, compassionate book that tackles the complexies of child loss head on. Nick Shaw has written a book that is open. Is vulnerable. Is honest. Is beautiful. It's a journey to finding peace within, living in the present moment, and recognising the value of support and community. It also addresses the courage required to add another child into the family dynamic, without that child serving as a replacement.

This is a wonderful and inspiring conversation that I have with Nick, about the loss of his son William, navigating the nuances of child loss, and writing beautiful poetry. He draws on his expertise as an accomplished executive coach, to help you think about how you accept and honour child loss...or any loss for that matter.

Nick's Bio

Nick Shaw is an accomplished executive coach, author, and speaker known for his profound insights into personal transformation, self-discovery, and authentic leadership. Through much reflection and soul-searching, Nick has realized a need to help others find ways of living more intentional and meaningful lives. As an executive coach, Nick works with leaders to help them fully embrace the privilege of being a leader to help them create environments where their team members can thrive. Nick is the Co-founder of Mirrorbox Leadership Lab, an Executive Coaching and Leadership Development consulting firm. Utilizing an individuals real life experiences, Mirrorbox’s goal is to help senior level leaders and teams bring about meaningful change in service of their personal and organizational growth.

With the 2023 release of his debut book, My Teacher, My Son: Lessons on Life, Loss, and Love, Nick invited readers to embark on an introspective journey of their own. Through a compelling narrative about his experience losing his son, William, at just nine years old, Nick’s book stretches the boundaries of the memoir form to teach and inspire its readers and to help them through their own complex emotions and experiences. In the pages of My Teacher, My Son, Nick offers a thought-provoking and supportive guide that urges individuals to examine their lives with honesty and self-compassion. Through poignant anecdotes, Nick encourages readers to reevaluate their choices and embrace a more fulfilling and purposeful existence.

As of the publication of My Teacher, My Son, Nick lives in Carlisle, Massachusetts, with his wife, Susan, and his sons Kai (11) and Bodhi (3). His eldest son, William, is buried in Green Cemetery in Carlisle, a place where the family often spends time together and finds peace. Nick and his family enjoy spending time outdoors, hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding.

In this episode, Nick shares:

[00:03:04] favourite memories of William

[00:04:42] a glimpse of life before

[00:06:04] the accident

[00:09:07] taking time out

[00:10:53] how taking time helped the family

[00:12:02] working out what Kai needed

[00:13:58] the nameless club

[00:14:58] key learnings William gifted you

[00:17:09] being yourself

[00:17:49] Viktor Frankl's The Meaning of Life

[00:19:14] discovering you're a poet