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Grief Recovery Ideas
By Cheryline Lawson
Recovering from grief has no set order or method. It all
depends on the individual person, what type of grief
(how their loved one died), their social and cultural
background and their emotional stability at the time of
the death of their loved one.
Here are twenty practical ideas of recovery that will
help in some way to get you past some of the pain and on
your way to recovery.
1. Talk with as many people as you feel comfortable
talking to especially with someone who is a good
listener and has empathy to your situation.
2. Take a walk each day and appreciate the natural
things around you and your surroundings. Somehow the
outdoors provides a sense of peace and tranquility.
3. If you feel up to it, make a visit to your loved
one's graveside. Talk to the grave, even though they
won't be able to hear you, but it is therapeutic. Cry if
you want to and don't feel guilty about anything.
4. Create a scrapbook that will keep the memories alive
of your loved one. Share it with those who care about
your loss. Cut out pictures and anything that reminds
you of them. Let each picture tell a story.
5. Revisit your dreams and goals before your loved one
passed away. This will reveal your thoughts and fears
and help you to see what changes need to be made for
your future.
6. Let others know how you want to be approached. I
found that people are very uncomfortable to be around
someone who has lost a loved one and they don't know
what to say. If you need them to leave you alone, say so
in a loving way. If you need more affection, let them
know. There is no way that people will be able to read
your mind unless you say so.
7. Think about the 'Serenity Prayer' -- "God, grant me
the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know
one from the other." This is actually an ancient German
prayer that makes a lot of sense.
8. Keep the persons memory alive by still setting their
place at the table or other rituals that you remember.
Do this for a short time until you come to an acceptance
of your loss.
9. Plan to do at least one thing each day. It doesn't
have to anything difficult. You will experience low
energy at this time and it is important to keep your
energy up.
10. Keep a journal, and write your feelings down. This
is also a therapeutic exercise that can bring some peace
of mind. You can do this every day or for however long
that you want. Write whatever you feel. Just let your
feelings pour out on paper and read it over to yourself.
11. Get as much rest as you can. Going through the
grieving process is hard on the body and the mind. Take
naps and relax as much as you like. It will replenish
your energy also.
12. Write a letter to your loved one. Let them know how
you feel about their absence. Tell them all the things
you wished you had said while they were alive. Let them
know how much you miss them and what has been going on
since they have been gone.
13. Consider joining a local support group if such is
available in your area and if the grief gets too much,
seek professional help. The support group will provide a
place of familiarity with people who are going through
the same thing you are.
14. If you live alone, consider getting a pet, but
having someone in your home helps to take away the
silence. Be sure you have time to take care of the pet
and also be sure you are ready for company.
15. Find something to do that passes the time; a hobby
that you like or doing volunteer work for a worthy
cause.
16. Relieve yourself from the grief by attending a movie
or going to dinner or a comedy club. Laughing is good
medicine for the soul. Your loved one would have wanted
you to be happy.
17. Don't try to be self-reliant. Reach out to others
who are willing to assist you in any way. Form
neighborly relationships especially if you live by
yourself.
18. Keep away from people who make it difficult for you
to grieve or think that it is time for you to stop
grieving. You don't need to be around people who are not
understanding of your grief.
19. Listen to soothing music. It helps to soother the
soul and relaxes the body and the mind.
20. Lastly, make sure you read all the good books you
can about coping with grief. They will help you to
understand the journey of your grief and the different
emotions that are quite normal for you to experience. It
will also get through some of your bad days.
Grieving is never an easy experience, but having good
support can lead you to a place of healing and
realization that your pain is real. Grief recovery is
attainable if you have the right people around you, the
tools that you need, and the confirmation that your
grieving is normal and practical ways to deal with the
grief.
Cheryline Lawson is the mother who has been on an
emotional journey of losing her only child and has
written a book titled, Coping with Grief, and is giving
proceeds of the book back to a support group that is
helping grieving families. Find out more by visiting her
website at => http://www.coping-with-grief.com |
