Recovering After Losing A Loved One

The loss of a loved one is one of the most painful experiences of life. In the aftermath, it's natural and indeed perfectly reasonable to feel negative emotions like sorrow, guilt, anger, and anxiety. During such times, it's essential to restore emotional well-being; to pick up the broken pieces of your life and move on.
If you've recently lost a loved one, by all means, grieve. Many people go into a state of denial after the shock, however the first step in the healing process is to allow yourself to feel the emotions deeply and mourn your loss. What you're going through and feeling, are normal.

During the grieving process, support from other people is vital. Don't attempt to deal with the sorrow alone. Spend time sharing to people who care for you and will empathise with you, like close friends, family members, or members of support groups you might be in or are able to join. If you feel that you really have no one to speak to, keep a journal or diary. Write it out and don't keep your grief unexpressed.

Be kind and compassionate to your body and spirit. Get enough sleep, eat well-balanced meals, and exercise. Exercise produces pleasure-inducing endorphins that facilitate your emotional recovery. Engage in activities that bring your pleasure and laughter, like playing with kids, listening to music, having a hot shower, watching a funny movie, splurging on that luxury you've always wanted, going on a holiday with a friend, and so on. Every little thing or action helps. Give yourself permission and the right to be good to yourself.

Reinvest in relationships. Meet up with a long time friend. Bring a loved one on a holiday. Treat a colleague to whom you've never been close to a meal. Help a stranger. Talk to someone in need. Nothing heals the heart more than expressing love, making peace, building bridges, mending fences, and lending a compassionate ear with a patient heart. During times of loss and grief, we all need to remind ourselves that there are other people we can love and who in turn love and appreciate us.

In the aftermath of losing a loved one, we can either sink in to depression, hatred, and anger, or move towards peace and love. Through our thoughts and actions, we all can bring healing into what little parts of the world we can reach and touch. We all have the opportunity to bring light into this darkness. Do we burn a candle or burn out?