If you try to avoid your grief, you may experience isolation, depression, and substance abuse. You may deal with suicidal thoughts, experience mental and emotional fatigue, and ultimately, you will be stuck in one place even though you’re trying to move on. 

You can’t truly move on from your loss until you deal with that loss properly. You don’t have to pretend to be strong, you don’t have to hold it all together for other people. Your grief is real, and your feelings are valid. 

It’s difficult to imagine getting through grief – you simply cannot imagine a time where it won’t hurt as intensely as it does, but you will. If you want to learn more about grief and loss, then check out our new The Journey of Grief and Loss: Let The Healing Process Begin. 

Don’t wait! Get your copy today!

The post Grief – Jump In appeared first on CoachRev.

For those of you wondering if bringing another family member into the house is really a good idea, here are 5 really good reasons! Pets can…

Reduce Stress – for you and your children

Especially in this post-pandemic world, stress is through the roof! According to the World Health Organization, over 80% of adults surveyed are feeling significant stress after the 2-year pandemic anniversary. The statistics for children and teens are even more alarming. Your pet has an innate ability to reduce stress. Adding a pet to your family can decrease the tension, arguments, anger, frustration, and more that come with increased stress. Studies also show that pets can lower our blood pressure and heart rate, and ease depression and loneliness.

Keep You Active

Not only are pets good at helping us manage our stress levels, but they also encourage us to be active and playful, and even improve our cardiovascular health.  Some pets, like exuberant energy-filled puppies, force us to get up and be active. We can’t be a couch potato if Fido’s wagging tail is telling us to get up and get that leash! They give you a reason to get outside, and get some fresh air which is proven to improve your mood, your sleep, and your mental health.

Keep You Young

Pets can be especially helpful for older folks. Studies have shown that people who have pets tend to live longer than those who don’t. In a healthy aging survey, adults over fifty reported several benefits including these top three benefits:

• They felt a deeper sense of purpose
• They felt calmer and more peaceful
• They experienced more social connection

Give Unconditional Love (and who doesn’t need that in this crazy world of 2022?!)

The emotional bond that we form with our pets is second-to-none. Some people form stronger bonds with their pets than they do with other humans. Dogs and humans who interact with each other get a jolt of oxytocin – the Love Hormone. Think about how your “best friend” reacts when you come home from work, even after a hard day that has left you grumpy. They are always happy to see us! Everyone needs that emotional connection.  Pets love us unconditionally, and they never judge us. Pets also get the benefit of living in a loving environment for which, they return that love in abundance.

Make You Laugh!

I’ve heard it said that laughter is the best medicine. Did you know that smiling can boost your mood and happiness level? It sure does – even if it’s forced! Those crazy cat antics that abound on YouTube don’t let us down! A kitten’s and puppy’s playfulness are usually good for a laugh or two as well.  I have a pet I call “Digger Dude.” He might be a shrimp; I’m not sure. But he is SO much fun to watch! This creature is always recreating the landscape of my aquarium and to watch it scurry back and forth moving mounds of pebbles and even pushing snails out of the way brings a smile to my face and makes me chuckle.

The post 5 Reasons to Adopt A Pet appeared first on CoachRev.

• Plan ahead – start your grocery list early, watch for sales, and buy a few non-perishables each week in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.  Don’t procrastinate.

• If hosting a holiday will be your tradition, make a master list that you can use year after year.

• Gift giving – for the person who has everything find out what their favorite charity is and make a donation in honor of them.

• Begin or continue traditions that focus on the meaning behind the celebrations and hold meaning for you and your family.  There’s no need to carry on traditions “just because great-grandma did.”  Remember the story of the ham in the oven with the end cut off.  Finally one young adult family member asked the meaning to find out why everyone cut off one end of the ham only to learn that great-grandma did it because she had a small oven!

• Think about your expectations.  Are they realistic?  Don’t drive yourself crazy finding “the perfect gift” or planning “the perfect party.” Instead, lower your expectations, and overestimate — rather than underestimate — your time.

• Play your favorite music.

• Schedule time for yourself.  People get so caught up in the holidays that they forget to take care of themselves.  Seeking some solitude is both healthy and necessary to reduce stress. Don’t skip meals, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water and stick to your exercise routine.

• Eliminate financial stressors.  Every parent wants to buy that perfect holiday gift for their child, but big ticket items can take a toll on your wallet and your stress level.  Make a budget when it comes to holiday shopping and stick to it.

• Consider hand-made gifts.  Often a small gesture of your time is just as loved as the gift you spend a lot on.

• One of my favorites!  Expect things to go wrong!  The Thanksgiving turkey may get overcooked; your son may hate his Hanukkah gift; your daughter might get sick.  The point is, things will go wrong.  Appreciate the season for the time spent with loved ones and create new memories.  Don’t sweat the small stuff.

• Don’t feel obligated to the “have to’s” = if going to a particular gathering is going to be stressful due to the time, the cost, the potential conflict, ask yourself if you could decline the offer.

• Learn to say NO.

The post Holiday Stress Reducers appeared first on CoachRev.