FINDING PEACE AFTER A LOSS
I’ve always considered myself a pretty emotionally sturdy person. But when my mother died grief hit me like a trillion buckets filled with piping hot lava. None of us are above that dark space grief enjoys to torture us with. From time to time we all might be feeling like we’re unable to handle grief.
It's so cliché to say, but the hurt and pain you experience help to shape the person you are. When you’re able to make it through the grief tunnel it says a lot about your ability to overcome the worst and return to a happy, peaceful state of being.
Even though I’m six years into my grief I periodically find myself coming back to the strategies I’ve learned to make my journey less difficult. Because again, none of us are above that dark space grief enjoys to torture us with. If you’re finding it difficult to get through your grief on your own try these strategies.
Course of Action for Overcoming Grief
1. Acceptance.
As difficult as it may sound to you right now, you need to understand (really overstand) that this moment is real. Keep in mind that acceptance doesn’t mean being nonchalant about the pain and hurt, those feelings are very real too. But instead, accept the fact that this is merely something that happened.
You don’t have the power to change things that have already happened (especially death), but you can certainly change how you deal with the challenge going forward.
Dig deep within your soul to find the strength to live beyond your circumstances.
Seek the help of someone disconnected from your circumstance and be open to their approach and point of view (read: see a therapist or counselor).
2. Healing.
The key to finding peace in your grief is spending time doing things that bring relaxation. Try to eliminate as much stress as you can so you’re able to cope well as the days go by.
Create a meditation schedule so that you can have a relaxed heart and mind. I try to mediate each night before bed to release let go of the day.
Get up and move your body. Don’t underestimate those endorphins that physical activity releases. They lift your mood and help you feel better.
Forgive yourself for whatever responsibility you’ve assumed. Try to accept that life’s happenings are under the guidance of a Greater Being.
3. Thanksgiving.
Especially during a time of grief, spend some time reflecting on all the blessings that have crossed your path. If you commit to putting aside your feelings for just a moment, you’ll realize how much you truly have to be thankful for. Sometimes the blessings far outweigh the tragedies without you even knowing.
Make a list of all the positives that you’ve witnessed in your life and in the lives of your loved ones.
Meditate on those blessings until they become engrained in your conscious thought.
Try to identify the lesson in the midst of what you’re experiencing and be thankful for it.
Finding peace in the midst of grief will be difficult at the beginning, and there are really no rules for how long you should take to heal. But remember that there’s a season for everything.
Your feelings of hurt and pain have no plans to last forever. As you practice these strategies and begin to heal, you’ll be able to release your grief so you can find true peace.
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