“Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.”- Vicki Harrison
Especially during times like this, it is easy to feel lonely and trapped: being stuck at home for long periods of time can make you feel isolated from the outer world- which makes grieving more difficult. Consequently, I have come up with 5 different ways for you to cope with grief, which I hope will help make your grieving process easier and provide you with some comfort. Also, (below) I have produced a list of activities which you can do to help distract yourself and keep you busy whilst stuck at home (and cheer yourself up)!
Talk It Out
Talking about your feelings is one of the most cathartic and beneficent ways to cope with grief. Confide in your best friend or family member by giving them a call.
TED Talks
Sometimes you might not want to talk about your emotions and grief- and that's okay. That is why listening to TED talks on grief can be so comforting: it is like a virtual support group, where you are not obliged to talk about yourself. It is a great way to learn about and acknowledge your grief simultaneously.
Journaling
If you don't want to talk to anyone about your grief, journaling is the next best thing. By putting pen to paper, you are still expressing your feelings and letting it out even though it's through writing rather than verbalizing. Journaling is a private and personal process, so you can express anything that's on your mind and this relaxing process can leave you with a sense of relief.
Meditate
Meditation is a great way to provide you with comfort and relaxation. You can meditate for however long you would like, whether it is just 5 minutes or an hour. Meditation enables you with at least a few minutes to yourself and can make you feel grounded and at peace. By meditating, you can reach a calm mental and physical state. You can either meditate in silence or use some meditation music which can easily be found on YouTube, where there are also a lot of guided meditations. Another popular app is Headspace, which offers different types of meditation and 'soundscapes', where you can play the dulcet and serene sounds of nature.
Listen To Others
Listening or reading about other people's stories can be comforting and is similar to a support group in that sense. By doing so, you can relate to someone else and it can help you feel less lonely in your grief. There are many YouTube videos out there of others sharing their stories (that could be similar to yours); there are some amazing podcasts out there that address grief (my favourite is 'The Grief Gang'); and there are plenty of articles, blogs and books in which people share their story.
Distraction activities to cheer your day up:
Useful Links and Ideas: (in order of activity)
Book Recommendations:
Recipes:
TV Shows:
Movies:
Music Recommendations:
Video Games:
PC and PlayStation: Life Is Strange
PlayStation: Uncharted, The Last Of Us, Detroit, Beyond Two Souls
Phone: Monument Valley, Choices, Covet Fashion, Sims, Alto's Odyssey, The Simpsons: Tapped Out, Super Phantom Cat
Journals:
Creative Inspiration:
Audio Books:
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Audible has made many books free with titles including Jane Eyre and Harry Potter. Here is the link to free audiobooks (no log-in or card details required): stories.audible.com
Other free audiobooks:
Lit2Go Books: https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/books/
Loyal Books: http://www.loyalbooks.com/
Thank you for including something for everyone!🥰