It’s hard to do anything nowadays without it being passed through the COVID-19 filter. While there may now be a light at the end of the tunnel thanks to a vaccine, COVID has changed so many lives since it first broke on the scene.
Millions of people have lost jobs, including 22 million Americans. Children have had to get used to online school and being away from their friends. Life, itself, has been disrupted.
The worst part of the pandemic, however, is the loss of life. With so many people across the globe falling victim to this disease, you might be grieving the loss of a loved one right now, or perhaps they passed on months ago but you still haven’t been able to cope.
Not grieving properly can make it impossible to get back to work, be present in other relationships, and even take care of yourself. Coping the right way can allow you to move forward with your life while still honoring the person you lost.
Let’s take a look at a few healthy ways to do just that, even if you feel hopeless.
Let Yourself Feel
One of the biggest mistakes people make is shoving down their emotions and not acknowledging them. The problem? Emotions demand to be felt. It’s usually when people push them down that they start to show up in unhealthy coping mechanisms, like drinking, or dangerous behaviors.
It’s okay to acknowledge your emotions for what they are. Everyone deals with grief differently, and your emotions are valid. The sooner you choose to acknowledge them, the sooner you can start to work through them.
Find Support
You don’t have to go through this grieving process alone. Lean on friends or family to help you with things. Find someone to talk to. If you recently lost a loved one, ask others to help you with things like memorial arrangements, Funeral Urns, or dealing with estate issues. If your loved one passed on a while ago, don’t be afraid to open up to someone close to you about your struggles.
If you don’t want to talk to people in your inner circle, consider joining a support group, or even seeing a therapist for help. Simply talking about how you’re feeling can make a big difference.
Take Care of Yourself
Self-care is more than just a buzz word. It’s important all of the time, but especially when you’re grieving. It might seem impossible to go through your everyday, normal routine. But, you can find comfort in routine, so keep your healthy habits like getting enough sleep, eating right, and exercising.
Additionally, find ways to insert self-care into each day. Do something every day that you enjoy, or something that relaxes you. Make your mental and physical health a priority, and you’ll start to get through the stages of grief more effectively.
The loss of a loved one is never easy. Thankfully, there’s no timeline to grief. Take your time, be patient with yourself, and be willing to let your emotions come through. When you learn to grieve in a healthy way, you’ll be more confident as you step into the next chapter of your life.