300: Letting Go of the Life You Thought You’d Have: Grief, Truth, and Rebuilding Connection w/ Mary Fisher

In this episode, Matthew sits down with artist, activist, and author Mary Fisher (@maryfisher), whose landmark 1992 speech at the Republican National Convention changed the face of AIDS awareness and made her a global icon of truth-telling and compassion.

Now in a new chapter of her life, Mary reflects on what it means to grieve not just people, but old lives, family, identity, and the loss of a place in the world. Together, she and Matthew explore how we rebuild, find chosen family, use creativity to heal, and speak up after a lifetime of being told to stay quiet.

This conversation is for anyone feeling disconnected, disempowered, or unsure of how to move forward when life has drastically changed. Mary’s words are a reminder that it’s never too late to reinvent your life, speak your truth, and create beauty from pain.

Topics Covered:

• The distinction between grief and depression—and how naming grief gave Mary her life back
  
  

• What it feels like to lose family who are still alive, and how to navigate that emotional terrain
  
  

• How to build a chosen family when your biological one isn’t safe or supportive
  
  

• The courage behind Mary’s 1992 speech and how mortality shifted her priorities
  
  

• Why radical honesty can be the foundation for deep connection
  
  

• Finding the right level of vulnerability early in relationships
  
  

• How to let go of the fantasy of who someone was “supposed to be”
  
  

• Creating through pain—how art and creativity became her medicine
  
  

• Learning to speak up after a lifetime of silence, guilt, and being told to “be a good girl”
  
  

• How to rewire your inner voice and create safety to be heard
  
  

• Understanding the difference between connection and one-sided emotional dependence in relationships
  
  

Resources & Links:

• Mary Fisher’s new book: Uneasy Silence
  
  

• Mary’s website: MaryFisher.com
  
  

• Instagram: @maryfisherart
  
  

• Project Angel Food (charity supported by Mary’s book): angelfood.org

• Matthew AI (24/7 coaching): AskMH.com
  
  

Join our retreat in October: MHRetreat.com