Lisa Jackson never thought she could survive the death of her husband, Graham. They met at university when she was 18, and for 35 years they were a great team. When Graham was diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer in 2017, they chose to live in hope, not fear, calling their approach the Positivity Project. They kept a raspberry pink notebook to record messages of hope, gratitude, and practical steps to support his immune system.
Four years later, after various treatments, the cancer spread to Graham's brain, and he died on 1 September 2021 at age 58. Within three months, Lisa sold their home and moved to Worthing, then to South Africa to care for her father, who had dementia and prostate cancer. While there, her younger sister Loren went missing in Portugal; her body was found a week later. Three months after that, her father died. Lisa felt stripped of her identity and struggled with thoughts that life was pointless.
A friend told her she wasn't just starting a new chapter but writing a whole new book. Lisa realized she needed to reclaim authorship of her life. She experimented with many activities—reflexology, cold-water swimming, gong baths, junk food—but nothing worked until she discovered the idea of a 'compass of excitement.' This inner compass, based on intuition, guided her to make choices that felt like 'hell, yes!' and avoid those that felt like 'hell, no!'
Using her compass, Lisa stopped people-pleasing and began living authentically. She ended relationships that didn't support her and protected her peace. She also used it to navigate dating and practical decisions, like hiring a tiler and choosing a financial adviser. Eventually, her compass led her back to running, which had always given her head space and achievement. In 2025, she ran the Brighton Marathon carrying Graham's ashes and now aims to complete 100 half marathons in 10 years.
Lisa's grief remains a solid circle at the center of her life, but around it stretches something wider and brighter. She has learned that post-traumatic growth is possible, and she continues to grow.
