7 Tips to Help Heal Your Grief

There is no magical formula or a timeline on how long one's grief 'should' last or when and how you 'should' be done with it. It is a process and it is individual. What may be good for some on how they handle it, may not work for others. What I am sharing is my experience and what is working for me so if something resonates with you then use it and if other things don't, leave them behind. There is no right or wrong way.

But this one thing is true for all - do not ignore your emotions around your loss! There are many who will ignore what they are really feeling and "get on with life ... just pull your Self up by the boot straps and get moving". For some this may work but what I have found is that it will eventually catch up with you if you do not handle your emotions about your loss. It can show up as depression, lack of motivation, focus or the will to live, eating disorders, addictions, illness, dis-ease, to name just a few.

Loss may also look different to many. Loss can be an actual death or a 'death' of a part of you or your way of 'be'-ing, an ending or shift in a relationship, losing your job, your children leaving the nest, moving, any change in your life in which your norm is dramatically shifted or affects how you feel about your Self or life. 

When you can acknowledge your feelings and allow your Self to feel them then the healing process or you could even call it the recovery process begins. 

Due to the work I do with people and my Self, I have been more present to how I feel during this loss of Sampson. I don't know that I have ever been more authentic with my Self. In the past I don't believe that I was as in touch with how I feel and the allowance of my feelings to come forth.

By healing past issues such as co-dependency (see the Co-Dependent chart on http://www.createyourdiamondlife.com/successtools.html to help you identify your traits) and wounds of the past, I am able to give my Self permission to just 'be' in whatever I am in. I thank God I have the healing tools and processes that I do to help me through my grief. They have given me the ability to still be productive, creative and energized to live life as fully as I can even throughout this difficult time.

There is still not a day that I don't cry but I allow for the expression of the grief and in that I am able to move forward. By doing so, I release that energy and then am able to tap into the appreciation and love that I have for Sampson being in my life. I did not realize how deeply I loved not only him but my Self. he is such a gift.

Here are 7 Tips to Help Heal Your Grief:
1. Give your Self permission to grieve authenically and completely.

2. Acknowledge and allow your feelings to come forth and express them to your Self and if you want to with others; choose wisely with whom you share and with those that you know will unconditionally accept where you are at and support you.

3. Be gentle with your Self - there are no 'shoulds' on how long your grief will last; be sure to allow for plenty of rest, eating properly, taking supplements (especially Vitamin D) and meditate and exercise to help you move through your grief physcially, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

4. Do not compare your feelings or process with how others feel or do it; if others try to push you through it, listen to your Self as to what you need and know there is no right or wrong way of doing it, there is only your way.

5. Focus upon the gift of what you had, not the loss of what you don't have any more in your life; feel the full appreciation and gratitude of gift so you can build upon it now and in the future and it will help you feel inspired and happy again.

6. If you have an addictive personality or addictive behaviors such as alcoholism, drugs, food, shopping, sex, drama ... be on heighten alert as to how they may come back into play; be sure to get assistance if you are falling into the patterns of using your addiction to fill the void(s) or avoid the pain.

7. Be open to addressing your feelings with an expert - hire a coach or practitioner to help you be aware of what you are going through and to assist in your healing process.

Please feel free to pass this on to any one you know that may be in need and if you have had experiences or tips that have worked for you, share with us!