August 30th is Grief Awareness Day.
On the largest scale, grief and loss are two aspects of life that we can never change nor escape. Each person has a certain amount of time on Earth and in the end, everyone will have experienced a loss. Grief is the result of loss and it is known as the final act of love. With this being one of the biggest life changes most people will encounter, we need to find a healthy way to prepare, recover and repair.
The pain of loss can manifest itself in many different emotions and these may be emotions that you've never experienced so deeply such as anger, sadness, or a looming state of depression. These are natural and can be helpful to let yourself feel. We cannot escape loss and the grief that comes as a result but with support and strength, we will make it through. It is important to note that people grieve differently and you may or may not go through each of these stages, or experience each of them in order. The 5 stages of grief are described as an indefinite period of time to channel the feelings of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally, acceptance.
Denial: “This can’t be happening to me.”
Anger: “Why is this happening? Who is to blame?”
Bargaining: “Make this not happen, and in return I will ____.”
Depression: “I’m too sad to do anything.”
Acceptance: “I’m at peace with what happened.”
It’s common to feel angry and lost, it is encouraged to let yourself feel all of the heavy emotions to properly heal.
After you’ve experienced this loss, what can you do to prepare for the rest of your life? Coping with grief can look like joining a bereavement support group local to your area or connecting with others through a digital support group. These online communities can be found through Facebook, Reddit or Google. It can also include taking up a new hobby, taking on a new project at work or enjoying time in a safe space with friends and family. Grief can be a heavy burden to bear but you don’t have to deal with it alone. We've compiled some resources below that can help and I hope that you feel inspired to share this blog with someone who may need support getting through a difficult time.
Talk: National Grief Support Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Read: Modern Loss
Take an e-Course: Hot Young Widows Club E-Course
Explore:
•GriefSpeaks.com