Author Poorna Bell on how powerlifting helped her move forward with grief
This article has been published to coincide with an episode of Mashable's new podcast, History Becomes Her. Listen here.
Content warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and grief.
Poorna Bell is an author and journalist who is actively challenging our ingrained beliefs about mental health, loss, and strength.
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Bell is also a powerlifter and writes about the stereotypes and cultural barriers faced by South Asian women when it comes to sport. In an episode of Mashable's podcast, History Becomes Her, Bell talks about how lifting weights helped her find inner strength after the death of her husband in 2015.
Bell also discusses how she moved forward with her grief, how she came to terms with societal stigmas and stereotypes surrounding grief and being widowed, and how she feels about the term 'moving on'.
You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Bell also discusses her new book In Search of Silence, in which Bell shares how she rebuilt her life and moved forward with her grief.
In each episode of History Becomes Her, Mashable asks modern history-making women who inspires them. In Bell's case, she cited her grandmother as her source of inspiration and shared how much she admired her strength and resilience.
Subscribe to History Becomes Her on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Samaritans (UK) on 116 123. If you're in the U.S., text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. For international resources, this list is a good place to start.
Topics Health Mental Health
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
