Experiencing grief is an inevitable part of our lives, but that doesn’t make this task easy. Grief can be overwhelming, messy, and confusing. We can feel angry, sad, lost, or empty. We can jump around from stage to stage, as grieving is not a linear process. Grief is a complicated process and it can look different for everyone.
Grief can hit us at any time. When we think of grief, we typically think of death. Grief can come in many different experiences, though. We can grieve the loss of relationships, jobs, homes, and more. Regardless of what type of grief you’re experiencing, it’s important to take care of yourself through this.
Understanding Your Grief
The first step in taking care of yourself while grieving is to understand your grief and emotions. Allow yourself to acknowledge the difficulties and changes you’re experiencing while adjusting to the loss. How does that impact your daily life? What looks different in your life now? When we acknowledge the challenges we’re facing, we open ourselves to the opportunity to work through them.
We also need to understand our own emotions and thoughts during this time. Grief can bring up a wide variety of emotions including anger, depression, anxiety, despair, emptiness, yearning, confusion, and more. We may be thinking about how unfair the loss is or fear that we will not be able to recover. These are all normal responses to grief.
Taking Care of Ourselves While Grieving
We know that our physical, mental, and emotional health all affect one another. Meaning it’s important to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally/emotionally while we’re grieving. The better we care for ourselves, the easier we’re able to manage and face our grief.
Be kind to yourself and show yourself grace and compassion while grieving. Accepting that we’re grieving gives us the freedom to take care of ourselves how we need to. Accept that grief comes in waves and that it’s not a linear process. Give yourself permission to feel your emotions as they come and to work through them. Give yourself permission to take as much time as you need to grieve.
Ways to Take Care of Ourselves While Grieving
As mentioned, taking care of ourselves both physically and mentally/emotionally is crucial while we’re experiencing grief. Continue reading as we share coping strategies and ways to take care of yourself while grieving.
Give Yourself Grace
Grief is difficult. It’s confusing. It’s scary. Treat yourself with kindness and compassion during this time. Don’t fault yourself for feeling the emotions you need to feel. Give yourself the respect and space you deserve.
Feel Your Emotions
The emotions associated with grief are heavy, intense emotions. It can be easy to try to push these down or ignore them, but we have to feel our emotions to work through them. There’s no right or wrong way to feel when you’re grieving. Face and feel your emotions without judgment.
Connect With Others
Lean on your support system during this time. Maybe that looks like calling up a friend to express your emotions to, or maybe that means asking someone to help you with tasks. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need from your loved ones.
Get Creative
Creativity helps us express our emotions in a healthy, productive way. You can color, draw, or paint your feelings. You can write poetry or songs. You can create photo scrapbooks or memory books. There are so many options!
Allow Yourself to Rest
Grieving is exhausting. Ensure you’re giving yourself proper rest to allow your mind and body to recover. Take naps, sleep in, or go to bed early when you need to.
Laugh
Laughing has many mental health benefits such as reducing stress and improving our mood. There’s a reason they refer to laughter as “the best medicine”. Allow yourself to laugh at things when you’re able to.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Proper nutrition is essential when it comes to taking care of ourselves. Eating properly helps nourish our minds and bodies. We will especially need this assistance when we’re grieving.
Keep Up With Personal Hygiene
On that same note, it’s important to physically take care of ourselves when we’re grieving. It can be easy to fall into a slump while grieving. Keeping up with personal hygiene tasks such as showering and brushing our teeth keeps us in a good routine.
Move Your Body
Movement helps us move through and release our emotions. Take a walk, lift weights, practice yoga, or dance it out. Whatever form of body movement you prefer is okay!
Be Patient
Understand that you may be grieving for a while. Don’t try to rush yourself through this process. Give yourself the proper time you need to experience your grief.
Seek Out Professional Help
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or overburdened by your grief, reach out to a professional mental health professional. Grief counseling can be incredibly beneficial for those who are trying to work through grief.
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