When the World Breaks Open: How Grief Expands Your Capacity for Joy, Power & Purpose with Mark Matthews
Grief doesn’t just break you open—it breaks you open to truth. And in this transformative episode, Dr. Mark Matthews and I journey into the sacred territory where loss becomes a portal to identity, purpose, and sovereign leadership.
From losing both parents at nine years old to navigating a lifetime of introspection, Dr. Mark shares how grief became his greatest teacher—shaping his worldview, his leadership philosophy, and the deep sense of compassion that infuses every aspect of his coaching. Together, we explore how the “armor of avoidance” keeps us disconnected from our deepest desires and how embracing our emotional landscape leads to explosive growth in business, relationships, and self-worth.
We dive into:
- Why care is the antidote to overwhelm and the foundation of conscious leadership
- How expanding your capacity unlocks your next level of sovereignty
- What Maslow really meant about human development and fulfillment
- How grief reframes identity and becomes a catalyst for transformational joy
- The power of standards vs. expectations in relationships, parenting, and business
- Why world peace begins with the internal reconciliation of the self
This episode isn’t just a conversation—it's a remembrance of your innate power. A reclamation of your throne. A reminder that your most challenging seasons are often the very ones expanding your capacity to hold more love, more purpose, more prosperity, and more aliveness.
If you're walking through change, expansion, or rebirth—this one will meet you exactly where you are.
When the World Breaks Open: How Grief Expands Your Capacity for Joy, Power & Purpose
A Crown Yourself Conversation with Dr. Mark Matthews
00:00 — Introduction: Stepping Into Sovereign Self-Worth & Grief Healing
Kimberly Spencer:
Hello, hello and welcome back to the Crown Yourself podcast. I am so honored to have here with us today, doctor Mark Matthews…
Grief as the Great Opener
00:02:26 — How Losing His Parents at Nine Shaped Identity
Kimberly Spencer:
…you lost your parents when you were nine years old… What did grief teach you about identity?
Mark Matthews:
I love that question… My history starts early with grief…
The Truth About Grief Healing: “Your World Isn’t Shattered — It’s Opened”
Mark Matthews:
…some people would say shattered. I think the most accurate way to say it is your whole world is opened up…
Kimberly Spencer:
I can speak to that exactly…
The Power of Care — and the Pain of Avoidance
00:06:05 — Avoidance as the Only Thing That Truly Hurts Us
Kimberly’s Story — Losing Five Loved Ones and Finding a New Identity
Human Motivation, Desire, and the Dance Between What We Want and What We Fear
00:07:45 — Breaking Down the Core Drives of Human Behavior
Mark Matthews:
Humans are motivated by incentives…
Coaching Through Reframing
00:10:05 — The Question That Unlocks Stuck Stories
Kimberly Spencer:
What’s your favorite question…?
Mark Matthews:
When people are trapped with their framing…
Parenting, Presence, and the Magic We Miss
00:12:50 — Why Stress Disconnects Us from the Magic Around Us
A Moment of Parenting Presence Live on the Podcast
Overwhelm, Capacity & the Nervous System
00:21:04 — How to Expand Capacity for Leadership & Motherhood
Kimberly Spencer:
…stories of capacity…
Mark Matthews:
I love that because…
Achievement vs. Fulfillment
00:25:41 — Why Most High Performers Feel Empty
Maslow, Business, and the Trap of Chasing Safety in the Wrong Places
00:29:29 — Understanding Needs Before Growth
Mastery Over Metrics
00:32:17 — Why Mark Built His Coaching Business on One Offer
Kimberly’s Bulimia Recovery & the Danger of Tying Worth to Numbers
00:34:22 — Healing Self-Worth from the Inside Out
Loving Humanity as a Path to Grief Healing
00:38:37 — “My Goal Is to Love and Like Every Human Being on Earth.”
SEO-enhanced intros.
Unity, Division & The Taoist Perspective on Alignment
00:41:40 — The Call to Reconcile the Self
Parenting Frameworks That Build Emotional Safety
00:51:07 — Intentions, Expectations & Standards
RAPID-FIRE ROUND
00:58:18 — Quick Questions with Big Insights
Q: Who would you trade places with for a day?
• Marcus Aurelius
Q: Favorite fictional character?
• Odd Thomas — because he sees what others cannot...
Q: Money habits?
• Weekly finance meetings
• Radical transparency
• Prioritize revenue-generating actions
Q: What is your kingdom?
• My presence. My values. My vision for humanity.
Q: What does it mean to Crown Yourself?
• Creative expression, uninhibited and sovereign.
Closing Offer — A Pathway to Self-Worth & Sovereign Leadership
01:03:24 — Dr. Mark Matthews’ Gift to the Audience
