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Dana Frost | Joy Scout

@joyscoutproject

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You deserve better than fine.
Scouting for joy in life’s messy in-between
The Next 100 Days starts Oct 13 ↓
(formerly Forced Joy Project)

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

The night belongs to you
This bough has broken through
I must be someone new
[Now] for me 🖤

Widows in the Wild, October 2026
More to come ✨

#widows #travel #bosniaandherzegovina #joy #grief

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Episode 38: Fake It Til You Make It? Rethinking Joy After Loss with Dana Frost, is out now!

Link in bio or comment "episode" below and I'll send the link to your DMs.

💕

Lauren
(Certificated Grief Coach)

#widow #grief #griefsupport #joyafterloss #poscast

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After her husband died, Dana started documenting 120+ days of trying to find joy through what she called the Forced Joy Project.

Some days, that meant doing something small. Other days… apparently, it meant considering buying a $20,000 private island in Michigan and taking a little paddle boat out to see it on a dark, cold, rainy day.

And here's what I love about this...

What started as an effort to find joy became a practice of looking at the world differently. Of being a little bolder. Of being open to experiences she might never have considered before.

She didn't set out to change her life. But over time, something shifted.

Tomorrow on The Widow’s Collective, Dana and I are talking about joy after loss, the idea of forced joy, and how we can make room for experiences that remind us there's still more to life - even when grief is alongside for the ride.

And yes, we talk about the island. Haha

Now I'm curious: What's something you've done since your person died that feels a little unhinged? 😂 I feel like there are some stories we need to hear.

Episode 38: Fake It ’Til You Make It? Rethinking Joy After Loss with Dana Frost

Out tomorrow!

💕

Lauren
(Certified Grief Coach)

#widow #grief #griefjourney #joy #podcast

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Make it spectacular - this short, precious, beautiful life we get to live. And this group deserves it so much, we who really know how short life is, who’ve worked so hard to find and feel joy and see beauty and good and live a spectacular life again…

So so grateful to @forcedjoyproject for hosting with me and for all the wonderful women who signed up to go move in the mountains with us, and share their hearts, and laugh and dance on mountain tops and in the rain and make the most precious memories together.

Movement in nature really does create the most beautiful space for connection and emotion flow and deep soul connection. Cannot wait for the next one!! Who’s with me?!!!

#grieftopeaks #healinghiking #griefjourney #mountains #whistler

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UPDATE: Sold out! But get on the waitlist if you’re interested in joining!

✨ New Trip Alert ✨

Widows in the Wild is heading to COSTA RICA! 🇨🇷

Some trips are about seeing how much you can fit into a week. This one is about remembering how good it feels to be in your body, outside, somewhere beautiful.

To ride a horse through the forest to a turquoise waterfall. To swim beneath it. To hike in the shadow of an active volcano. To soak in natural hot springs, get a massage, eat good food, and have absolutely nowhere else you need to be.

This trip is for the widow who wants adventure — but also wants to exhale.

The person who wants to do something that makes her feel brave in the morning and soak in a hot spring in the afternoon. Who wants to explore somewhere beautiful without packing up her suitcase every day. Who wants enough planned to make the trip feel special, but enough space to actually enjoy being there.

Over six days, we’ll make one beautiful corner of Costa Rica our home base. We’ll horseback ride through the forest to a 25-meter waterfall and swim in the turquoise pool below, hike through the lush landscape surrounding an active volcano, spend an afternoon soaking in natural hot springs, indulge in a spa treatment, and leave plenty of room for slowing down, wandering, resting, and simply enjoying each other’s company.

Widows in the Wild is a travel community for people who have lost their life partner and are learning how to live expansively again. Whether you’re craving connection with others who get it or simply want to explore the world in a way that feels safe, supportive, and deeply alive—you’re welcome here.

📍 Our Costa Rica trip opens for booking at noon EST tomorrow (September 15)!

All details, dates, pricing, and sign-up information can be found at the link in our bio.

If you’ve been craving a trip with a little adventure, a little rest, and a lot of time outside—this might be the one.

Tag the widow you’d love to travel with — or drop a 🌿 if Costa Rica is calling you.

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I never wanted to share this bc it’s a little too real of me lol
When Spencer died, I couldn’t sing, I couldn’t dance, I couldn’t laugh or have fun.
I didn’t care.
My sister @michelle.living.life and @huktodd came to town.
It had been three months since we buried Spencer.
Somehow this came out of me.
My true self.
Silly, singing, carefree.
It only lasted for a bit but she was still in me.
I share so people who are struggling through the hardest hards will know you can find that person again.
The true you, even if for a moment.
The one you thought would never return.
You will have moments of joy.
Many, many sad days.
And a mix of both
But the joy will feel so real and so big in comparison to that death grip of grief, that you will be so grateful for those joyful moments.
Proof that even though you die when your person dies,
That another self is waiting to be reborn.
Different and similar and new.
But it will be you. 💜

#grief #overcome #reborn #childloss #joy

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Fun fact: girls who wear dungas post-dip have bigger grins 😁

Lost film from a couple of years ago - thank you @forcedjoyproject for brightening up our feed 💞

#wildswimming #outdoorswimmers #ukmade #designedinuk #madeinuk

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🎉 Book of Stories is 6 years old!

To celebrate, I’m giving away a Book of Stories to one lucky winner. ❤️

If you’re new here, Book of Stories is a way to gather the stories and memories of someone you love from all the people who knew them, and then we turn those memories into a beautiful keepsake book. Because some of the best stories about the people we love are the ones we’ve never heard.

To enter: Follow @memorialbooks and share the name of the person you would create a book about in the comments.  Two bonus entries:
1. Share a story about your person
2. Share this reel in your stories

Winner announced Wednesday August 19, 2026.

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✨ Where are we headed next? ✨

Whether you’re dreaming about your very first trip after loss or returning for another adventure with us, we’d love to have you join us.

Here you’ll find all of our upcoming Widows in the Wild trips. Each adventure is intentionally different — with a range of destinations, activity levels, and experiences — so we hope there’s one (or maybe even two!) that feels like the right fit for you.

📍 We’ll keep this post updated as things change. Swipe through to see the status of individual trips. If a trip sells out, a waitlist opens, or registration closes, we’ll note it in the caption so you always have the most up-to-date information.

Want to be the first to know when a new trip goes live? Comment JOIN we’ll send you the link to get on our mailing list.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Closed!

New Zealand: Open for bookings now

El Salvador with Kids: Open for bookings now

Peru with Kids: Open for bookings now

Guatemala with Kids: Open for bookings October 2, 2026

Costa Rica: Second week added! November 9-14,2027! See link in bio for more information!

India: Open for bookings November 6, 2026

Antarctica (co-ed trip): SOLD OUT (but get on the waitlist if you’d still like to join!)

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Y’all ever have to be polite? 🤔 #widow #toronto #comedy #dating #couple

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last but not least…

you don’t have to do this alone 🤍

if you’re looking for a community who will meet you exactly where you’re at while make you make sense of life after loss, comment the word MOKSHA and let’s chat

oh and tag your grief besties below and tell me (them) how they’ve impacted life

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