Grief is difficult. You cannot ignore it. You cannot shut it out. You have to live it to find healing. So, don’t avoid the subject even if you think you’re doing yourself and everyone else a favor. You’re not. It may prolong the grief process if you try to pretend that it isn’t happening. Be open and honest about your feelings, talk to your friends, talk to your family, enjoy the memories.
You have to look after yourself when coping with grief – that means eating, bathing, and doing things that you enjoy. You might feel guilty about laughing at your favorite show, but you shouldn’t. You might feel bad for meeting a friend for coffee, but you shouldn’t. As difficult as it is to accept that life goes on, it does.
Do not allow others to put a timeline on your grief. Your process is your own and it isn’t up to anyone to rush you through processing your emotions.
What you should do, however, is increase your awareness of what is “normal” of grief and when you need to reach out for professional advice. If you want to learn more about grief and loss, then check out our new eBook The Journey of Grief and Loss: Let The Healing Process Begin.
