The holidays are among us and this month I want to inspire you in a different aspect of it. Let’s be honest, the holidays can be hard. this season isn’t a joyous time for everyone and it leaves some of us with mixed feelings of joy and sadness. One of the main culprits of this sadness is grief or missing a loved one. For this episode I want to inspire you to celebrate the lives of those you have lost.
Here are a few tips to help you handle the grief you may be feeling this holiday season.
Be open to your feelings. It is important that you are open and honest about how you are feeling and not repress your emotions. There are a range of emotions one may feel and if they are too intense, therapy may be needed. If they are manageable be sure to express yourself. Here’s a video by Dr. Tony Evans and Priscilla Shirer that discusses grief from a spiritual perspective that I have found to be extremely helpful. https://youtu.be/Y9JBd0xqBGQ
Surround yourself with people you love. Being surrounded by family and friends can make a big difference in your mood. You must fight the urge to retreat and be alone. Be sure not to be around those who annoy you, but those who will be supportive in your process.
Find ways to celebrate your loved one’s memory. This is the game changer…or the grief changer! Finding a way to celebrate your loved one’s life is a way of remembering the wonderful times you shared with them. You can celebrate in a number of ways…figuring out the best course of action is up to you.
Create new traditions. Sometimes the hardest part about the holidays is that things just aren’t the same. Making new traditions switches things up and helps you move forward, while still remembering what’s important.
Do something kind for others. Doing things for others evokes a feeling of gratitude which then effects your attitude. This also takes your mental focus off of you and your hurt and places your care on others. Volunteering, giving, helping…it’s up to you to figure out how to give, but it will be worth it.
So I hope that you feel inspired to celebrate the life of those who have gone on before us; to spend time and cherish those who we have here with us; and to always remember you are not alone on this journey of healing. xo-LaShawnda
Music: And So It Begins by Artificial.Music https://soundcloud.com/artificial-music Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/JpoEFiAJdxo