Top Ways to Cope with Grief this Thanksgiving

Another year, another Thanksgiving.  Same holiday, different year.  Has your life changed since last year?  Have you experienced a death or a major life loss?  Are you experiencing sadness and/or grief?

Although this time of year is about being with loved ones and expressing love and gratitude, for some it may be filled with heartbreak and sadness.  

It's important to be aware of those that are in pain, and to ask them how they are doing "today", and just listen, don't fix or make it better.

With grief, everything has changed......life feels uncomfortably different.  Some may feel a void, others may feel relief that a loved one is no longer in pain.  Either emotion is valid, and normal.  There is no need to pretend, and if need be, make and honor different plans this year.  Allow yourself the time, and space, to feel.  You do not need to make decisions that do not feel aligned with your truth, as you get to navigate this journey because it is your journey, and no one two grief journey's are the same.

If you want, gather people that can support your grief, that create a safe haven for it, so that you can honor you and your loved one without judgement.

Grief is not only emotional, but it is also manifests itself as physical and spiritual fatigue.  Understanding the fragility of grief, allows the space for self care and self repair.  

Never underestimate the power of tears.  A good cry can really soften the soul to let other emotions in.   Crying is powerful, and needed to release our innermost feelings.  Tears can be of relief, sadness, anxiety, hope, relief.....just to name a few.  

Talking about your loved one helps, even though at times, you may become sad again.  Saying your loved one names help to keep them in your world, and is a way to stay connected.  Just because a loved one dies, it doesn't mean that your love dies.

Read the article to learn more tools.....

Top Ways to Cope with Grief This Thanksgiving