Most people, at some point, go through the process of grieving. It's an individual experience. The steps a person takes and the goals they set to help them find comfort during a difficult time differ from person to person. Here are a few steps you can take to help you progress toward healthful healing, presented by The Grief Girl Blog.
Meditation
Because meditation or mindfulness helps you live in the present moment, it's an excellent way of helping you deal with grief. Being in the here and now allows you to be more aware of your pain and sadness.
Grief meditation isn't about reducing the pain associated with losing a loved one. It's more concerned with acknowledging and accepting it instead of bottling it all up or running from it. Just a 12-minute session of meditation consisting of controlled breathing and reflection can help with a difficult and often solitary journey.
Adopting a Pet
Once the stages of grief, such as anger and pain, have diminished, feelings of loneliness and isolation start to manifest. Losing a loved one, particularly a spouse with whom you've lived and shared everything for a significant number of years, can leave a massive void in your life.
Although adopting a dog doesn't necessarily stop you from grieving, having a pet in your life can help you rebuild your life around it. Their reliance on you for food, walks, interaction, and affection provides a distraction. And if your pet's a rescue dog, it's likely going through a difficult period of transition, too, meaning you're helping each other.
The Healing Powers of Music
Music can help you discover and fully understand your emotions and accept them. It provides a safe, comfortable space to experience feelings of loss. Here are some other ways it can help:
• It allows you to express yourself. Sing, sing, and sing some more. Sing in the shower, in the car, and while you're washing the dishes. If you play an instrument, play along. If not, try air guitar or table drumming — anything to release emotional stress.
• Rewrite a song verse. If you feel that, with a bit of tweaking, a particular song has the potential to be a tribute to the one you've lost, go ahead and change the words.
• Listen to music you identify with. It's easy to lose your sense of identity when grieving. Try to listen to music that reminds you of your meaning and purpose.
• Honor their memory through music. Play music that reminds you of your loved one. Create a video montage of your beloved's life by putting together some of their favorite songs.
Avoiding Burnout at Work
Job burnout can compound your grieving issues. You can do several things to avoid burnout at work, such as making time to do nothing, trying relaxing activities, setting goals and expectations, and defining boundaries. In addition, it's also crucial that you spend your time with purpose and meaning and acknowledge your emotions.
Figuring Out How To Cope
There's no one way to grieve. Everyone copes with their loss in their own individual way. You just need to figure out a way to embrace it, whether it's through music, adopting a pet, meditation, or any other method.
Camille created Bereaver after she went through the ups and downs of the bereavement process herself following the loss of her parents and husband. With the help of her friend who was also experiencing a loss of her own, she learned how to grieve the healthy way, and she wants to share that with others. There is no one way to grieve, but it is important to do it in a way that supports your physical and mental health throughout.