The biggest secret is to take care of yourself. This includes making sure you have time for yourself. What are the best strategies for coping with grief and loss, while still looking forward and moving forward?
It might seem like an impossible task to make sense of life after a loss, especially if it's sudden. But there are several things you can do that will help you get through the process.
STEP 1: Learn to De-Stress Yourself
First and foremost, if you have a habit of being too stressed out, this can affect how you deal with grief. This is why it's important to learn to relax and take care of yourself in healthy ways.
Find things you can do to de-stress that don't involve drugs or alcohol. There are plenty of resources on self-help. For example, meditation and yoga are two practices that can help you de-stress without putting you in a stupor.
STEP 2: Put Your Needs First
After you've taken care of yourself, it's time to focus on your own needs. This will help you cope with grief. It's also important to put your own needs first, so you can stop trying to take care of everyone else.
Find support groups in your local area and start getting some of your needs met. Get a massage or a manicure. Go for a walk, get a coffee. Make sure you're not constantly caring for others and not being cared for in return.
STEP 3: Find Ways to Help Others
You can make a big difference in people's lives by offering to help them. When you put someone's needs before your own, it will help you cope with your own grief and loss.
Start looking into volunteer organizations in your local community and see what they need. If there's something you can help with, take the plunge and go for it. Volunteering is one of the best ways to show others you care and that you want to give back.