We all experience grief at some point in our lives, many of us more than once. Grieving is not a feeling or an emotion, not even a state, but more like a process. It takes time to do this and emerge a wiser person. Some of us choose to escape it and repress the feelings of sadness, they choose to deny the loss.
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But healing cannot exist without facing what lies deep within our soul. This will help you find balance, joy and meaning again. Here are 5 ways you can deal with a major loss:
1. Let yourself feel
This is the most important thing you can do when you’re suffering. Don’t shut down your heart, just be with your emotions and thoughts. Listen to your needs and cater to them. Don’t fall into addictions or distractions as these won’t solve the underlying problem. Allow that storm of emotions to happen, there is no instant relief sadly.
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2. Allow your friends and family to help you
Turning to your support network is another crucial element in your recovery. Make sure you surround yourself with people who care about you and understand what you’ve been through. A meaningful deep conversation with a friend can make all the difference in your life. It will remind you that as long as human connection is still possible, there is hope. And you are not numb.
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3. Accept that time does not heal all wounds
Time can help with the healing process a great deal, but it cannot erase the loss you experienced. What happened in the past is there forever. What time does is shift your perspective so as to help you come to terms with your experience. Whatever you do, do not pretend it didn’t happen, it will make matters worse in the future.
4. Take care of yourself
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Under these circumstances, self-care is a radical act. When you choose to shift the focus on you and your mental and physical health, you are taking a big step towards healing. You may be tempted to skip meals, overeat, oversleep or not sleep at all. Don’t. Bad habits won’t make the pain go away, on the contrary.
5. Be patient
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You must move at your own pace. Take all the time you need to get better and rechannel that energy into something creative and constructive. And don’t let others tell you how long you have to take to recover. It’s your experience and your life so you get to be the only to decide when you are ready to move forward.
Please share this if you know someone who’s been through pain!
