There is a tough element to life that we often don’t talk about. That is coping with a loss of a loved one, a friend, relative, pet etc. We can all be affected in different ways but commonly we do share some element of grief. We just might handle it differently. A loss can hit you hard, there is no doubt about it. Whether it was sudden and unexpected, or something you even came to terms with, there is no right or wrong way to react and deal with it. But there are things that you can do to help you handle the situation, cope with the grief and ultimately come out of it stronger and yourself once more. Here are some of the things to consider.
Celebrate their life
One of the first things that you should always try and do is celebrate their life in some way. They may have had or are going to have a funeral and this is the ideal place to start. You could look at celebrating their life with their favourite music, consider amazing gravestones that could highlight a place to go and grieve if needed and also visit. You might also want to look at having people speak at the service to talk about them in a happy and positive way. This might be a hard thing to do, but it is a lovely opportunity to remember some of the happier or even funnier moments rather than dwell on the sad news. A celebration after the funeral could also be a good idea. A chance for people to catch up and talk, toast the life they had and again share funny or happy anecdotes. The more you celebrate, the less you will dwell on the sadness that you will obviously be feeling.
Understand your grief and let it happen
Another thing that you might need to do is to understand the way you are grieving and also to let it happen. It can be hard to do this, and people will grieve in different ways. You may cry a lot, and let it out. You may talk, or even shout with frustration. You might stay silent while you work things out in your mind. There could be many different things that you could be doing when it comes to your grief. But the best advice would be to try and understand it and also allow yourself to do it. People sometimes feel that being strong means not showing any emotion, when that could be the wrong thing to do.
Find ways to remember the positive things
Celebrating their life is important, so remembering the positive things will help you get through some of the bleaker moments you are likely to feel in the future. Remembering the positive moments and the happier times will help to keep their memory alive. Talk to people about it, share how you feel or what you might be thinking at that moment. The more you do this, the more you will feel content and at peace with the situation.
Let’s hope these suggestions help you to cope if you are struggling with a loss.
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