Coping with grief in itself is overwhelming and then we go and throw the holiday season into it and it heightens that feeling in so many ways. All of my first were extremely hard; birthdays, special occasions, holidays, etc. To be honest, year two hasn’t proven to be any easier, however, I’ve been doing everything I can to try and brace myself for the storm that is slowly brewing inside of me as the holiday season approaches (well, it’s practically here so hold on tight). I know many people struggle during the holidays and I thought, these grief guides/tips may be of help to some, as I’ve been leaning into them as much as possible.
With that being said, I wanted to share a number of things we can utilize to try and help us get through this year. Remember, if all you did was survive the day that’s OK. Maybe these tips can provide some courage and strength to face one of the hardest times of the year for a griever.
So, let’s talk about it! Here are a list of things you may want to try; you don’t have to try them all, maybe pick a couple that you feel drawn to or that you feel you are capable of trying to do.
Start new traditions
Honor old traditions and memories
Surround yourself with those that love you
Attend a support group
Opt out of the holidays all together
Socialize as you feel able
Feel your feelings
Go somewhere new
Give grief a place at the table
Volunteer
Wear headphones in public to avoid holiday music
Say no... a lot
Choose gatherings carefully
Have a plan
Rest when you need to, it’s OK to step away
Be gentle with yourself
As always, there is NO right or wrong way to grieve. There is no correct or incorrect way to get through this difficult time. You must do what feels right for you.
Normally, I would have gone into depth for each suggestion above, but because there are so many of them, I wanted to keep this short, sweet and to the point. However, you can always reach out to me with any questions or thoughts.
The holidays are hard, hell, every day is hard, but we can do hard things my friends!
Comments