Navigating This Epidemic of Grief
We’re facing personal and collective grief in ways that most of us have never experienced. It’s daunting to comprehend how much has already been lost and how much more we’re likely to lose. Within a few short weeks, thousands of lives have been lost. We’re isolated from friends and family and important moments have been postponed. It seems like every day, we lose one more part of our “normal” lives.
From small losses to giant ones, the world is grieving.
Survivors of loss have something to teach us in this moment of overwhelming personal and cultural grief: they’ve all lived through the unthinkable and survived.
If you’re struggling with your own emotions, or wondering how you can support grieving friends or family, my new article on Thrive Global features 4 things you should know.
Tell Yourself the Truth
“I spent so much time telling myself I’d be okay, that my brother wouldn’t want me to be sad,” Marcos wrote. “I didn’t realize that I was actually just telling myself to shut up.” Whether it’s your own self-talk or suggestions you get from well-intentioned friends, it’s normal to try and talk yourself into feeling better. Willing yourself to cheer up – or telling yourself you have no right to grieve – is like trying to push a beach ball underwater: those feelings are always going to pop back up.
It’s never effective to pretend you don’t feel the way you feel. It seems counter-intuitive, but letting things feel as bad as they do can actually help.
Click this link to read the entire piece, Navigating This Epidemic of Grief.
You have the right to grieve whomever – and whatever – you’ve lost. Don’t downgrade your loss just because others might have it worse. Click To TweetHow about you? Whether or not you were already carrying grief before the pandemic started, how are you feeling in these uncertain days?
Wishing for some company inside your grief? Now, as always, the very best place I know to connect YOU with other grieving folks is inside the Writing Your Grief community. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there is always someone there: when you feel invisible inside your grief, these folks see you. When your friends have their own sh*t to deal with and you can’t lean on them, your WYG family is there. I mean it folks, this community is unlike any other place – online or IRL. The May session is open now and we’ve got room for you. Follow this link to join us, and pass it on.
