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Episode 30: “If Only I Had…” — Living With the Loop of Regret (Part 2)

In Part 2 of our conversation on regret, Jamal and David move from awareness to release. Many widowers quietly believe that suffering proves love — that carrying guilt forever somehow honors their wife. But what if that belief is the very thing keeping you stuck? In this episode, we challenge the idea that love requires lifelong punishment and offer a different frame: love asks for remembrance, integrity, and living forward well — not endless self-inflicted pain.

We also share practical, grounded tools to interrupt the regret loop. Naming it out loud. Writing the letter you never got to finish. Separating what was truly in your control from what never was. And asking the anchoring question: If she could see me now, would she want me stuck here — or living? If Part 1 helped you recognize the loop, Part 2 helps you loosen it. You are not broken. You are grieving. And there is a difference.

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death is a podcast that explores the raw, unfiltered reality of surviving profound personal loss—and finding a way forward. The idea for the podcast was born after David and Jamal met in 2023. Both widowers, who had lost their wives to cancer, quickly found a deep connection through multiple conversations about pain, perseverance, and parenthood. They realized that while men often bond over music, sports, or TV, they rarely speak candidly about loss or emotional recovery. Getting Back Up was created to change that narrative—blending the everyday with the existential in a format that’s as relatable as it is real.

Thank you for your support!

Hosts: David McClain & Jamal Jones

Executive Directors: Marlon Jackson & Ted Winners (Like A Gazelle Productions)
Editing: Marlon Jackson
Music:
Grenada, "Treasure"
McDonald, Otis, "Phife for Life", otismusic.com

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram/TikTok @getbackuppodcast and on X @GBUpodcast

Send a text

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death (Season 1)

Episode 29: “If Only I Had…” — Living With the Loop of Regret (Part 1)

In Part 1 of this raw and reflective conversation, Jamal and David open up about one of the hardest truths many widowers face: regret. The kind that creeps in with the silence — “If only I had noticed sooner… said more… done it differently…” The kind that loops in your mind at night and whispers that you failed.

They explore why regret feels so personal, how grief distorts memory, and why so many men confuse blame with responsibility. This episode lays the emotional groundwork — tackling the trap of the regret loop, how it disguises itself as virtue, and why forgiveness has to include you too. If you’ve been living with that one decision you replay over and over, this conversation may be the beginning of release. Part 2 continues next episode.

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death is a podcast that explores the raw, unfiltered reality of surviving profound personal loss—and finding a way forward. The idea for the podcast was born after David and Jamal met in 2023. Both widowers, who had lost their wives to cancer, quickly found a deep connection through multiple conversations about pain, perseverance, and parenthood. They realized that while men often bond over music, sports, or TV, they rarely speak candidly about loss or emotional recovery. Getting Back Up was created to change that narrative—blending the everyday with the existential in a format that’s as relatable as it is real.

Thank you for your support!

Hosts: David McClain & Jamal Jones

Executive Directors: Marlon Jackson & Ted Winners (Like A Gazelle Productions)
Editing: Marlon Jackson
Music:
Grenada, "Treasure"
McDonald, Otis, "Phife for Life", otismusic.com

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram/TikTok @getbackuppodcast and on X @GBUpodcast

Send us a text

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death (Season 1)

Episode 28: What Must Be Carried (Pt. 2 ) w/ Whitney Lyn Allen

In this second half of our conversation with grief coach and author Whitney Lyn Allen, we explore the deep complexities of what it means to truly move forward. Whitney opens up about the delicate balance she now lives — raising two young boys, coaching others through loss, writing, speaking publicly, and creating space for her own healing… all while building a new life after remarrying.

We also dig into the tough questions. How do you open your heart again after a devastating loss? How do you hold space for what was and what is? Whitney shares the truth behind her second chapter — not as a replacement, but as a continuation of courage, connection, and choosing life again.

Getting Back Up: Finding Life After Death is a podcast that explores the raw, unfiltered reality of surviving profound personal loss—and finding a way forward. The idea for the podcast was born after David and Jamal met in 2023. Both widowers, who had lost their wives to cancer, quickly found a deep connection through multiple conversations about pain, perseverance, and parenthood. They realized that while men often bond over music, sports, or TV, they rarely speak candidly about loss or emotional recovery. Getting Back Up was created to change that narrative—blending the everyday with the existential in a format that’s as relatable as it is real.

Thank you for your support!

Hosts: David McClain & Jamal Jones

Guest: Whitney Lyn Allen

Executive Directors: Marlon Jackson & Ted Winners (Like A Gazelle Productions)
Editing: Chris Gazzo
Music:
Grenada, "Treasure"
McDonald, Otis, "Phife for Life", otismusic.com

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram/TikTok @getbackuppodcast and on X @GBUpodcast