From the outside it looks like Sir Richard Branson has lived a charmed life. There’s his billion dollar net worth, private Caribbean island, reputation for daredevil stunts, and principled stands on social issues. But even the luckiest of us can’t outrun the inevitability of time. Last November, the Virgin founder lost his wife Joan, who had been his partner in life for 50 years.
Branson cannot have had an easy year. How has he been coping?
In a recent, candid LinkedIn post the perpetually optimistic entrepreneur talks through how he’s attempting to live fully despite his heart-breaking loss. It’s a revealing reminder that even the sunniest of dispositions and biggest of bank accounts can’t shield us from grief.
But it’s more than that too. Branson’s approach to loss echoes a lot of psychological advice on beating back despair. His experience is sad but instructive for anyone traversing dark times.
How Richard Branson fights off despair
Like many people who have lost someone dear to them, Branson has been focused on keeping the memory of his wife alive. He kicks off his post with a moving tribute.
“Since losing Joan, I’ve tried not only to think about what I’ve lost, but about everything we had. Fifty years of love, laughter, family, adventures and quiet cups of tea. She was the shining star of our family. Keeping her legacy alive means remembering the happy times, telling the stories, and trying to carry forward the kindness, wisdom, and joy she brought into the world,” he writes.
Wonderful as these memories may be, Branson must certainly still face low moments. How does he deal with those?