When people think of grief, they often think of the loss of a loved one, commonly through death. However, grief can be experienced by the loss of anything, such as; the loss of a loved one, loss of one’s self or self-identity, the loss of a friendship or relationship, loss of a job or career, or even the loss of direction, clarity, or passion that you once had.
Navigating the feelings of loss can be difficult. Everyone will experience grief in different ways, and they are all valid. The range in intensity of this experience will vary from one person to the next, but it’s important to continue on the path of healing.
Here are 4 things you can try if you’re struggling with grief over loss.
Take care of yourself:
Take some time to meet your basic needs. Eat food that will fuel your body, hydrate with water, and rest when needed. Your body is working incredibly hard to process the loss you have experienced, so being intentional about meeting your basic needs is essential to help with the healing process.
Give yourself grace:
If you’ve never experienced significant loss, this may be uncharted territory for you. If you have experienced loss previously, this may bring new and unsuspected feelings into your life. Each loss brings new and complicated experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Validate each of them and let the ebbs and flows of the grieving process come and go naturally. Now is a great time to practice some self-compassion.
Learn about grief:
For most people, there are seven stages of grief, but each person’s experience within these stages will be different. It’s important to know that these stages are fluid, and you may find yourself in and out of each stage numerous times. Awareness of each stage and the physical and emotional symptoms accompanying them may help you understand your grieving process a little more.
Find support:
How do you best feel supported when you are grieving? Is it having coffee with a friend and a good shoulder to cry on? Maybe you prefer to do it independently in a quiet space while journaling. Do you love singing about it? Screaming about it? Praying about it? Talking about it? Explore these avenues and see what suits you best. If you don’t know where to start or you feel like these ideas won’t serve you, you can seek outside support from a grief professional.
Dealing with the grief that comes over a loss is never easy. It can be complicated and unpredictable. But, unfortunately, it’s also a natural part of life and almost always unavoidable.
So, if you find yourself in this season of life, know that there is no timeline for grief and learning to live with it is an ongoing process.
