Grief is the natural response to loss. Grief is often associated with bereavement, which is the death of a loved one. However, grief covers any number of losses including the loss of a loved one, job, pet, relationship, divorce, and safety, among many others.
There are many characteristics of grief, including:
- It does not discriminate-everyone will experience it
- Each experience is different
- It can show up when you least expect it
- There is no time limit on grief
- Everyone handles grief differently
- It doesn’t magically go away, grief must be dealt with
My most significant experience with grief was the death of my mother, almost four years ago. At the time, when I was in the center of it, I never thought I would get through it. I did, with the love, help, and support of very caring friends, family, professionals, and clergy.
As part of my grief journey, I changed careers and became a coach in order to help people deal with their grief journey. I renewed my passions for yoga and travel. I took up journaling. My mother’s death taught me to start living and not just go through the motions of life.
With recent events of Covid-19 and the protests in the United States of America, we are feeling a lot of grief and loss. We may have experienced the death of a loved one. We may have lost a job. We may feel like we have lost some freedoms and our way of life. We may feel like we’ve lost some security. Whatever we feel is natural and we should allow ourselves to feel that way and not fight it. The only word of caution is do not move into that feeling. Do not unpack your bags and live there forever.
There are ways to deal with grief and emerge stronger on the other side. It is possible to find happiness after the grief.
Tips to deal with grief and loss:
- Allow yourself to experience the grief
- Be kind to yourself
- Keep a routine
- Express your grief-keep a journal or talk to someone
- Create a new habit
- Be the support for someone else
- Create plans for the future
- Seek out professional help
- Stay away from drugs and alcohol
No one should go through the grief journey alone. I have had my own experiences with grief and I know the value of having someone by my side along my grief journey. I am here to help you.
Call me and let’s get to work.
