Gift Yourself a Grief Break.

Having visual reminders of what’s important helps me to reset in those dark moments. Rocks ground me. I have them throughout my home and office. Whenever I find rocks in the shape of a heart I feel it to be a sign from above. The word rocks inspire me: Dream, Believe, Faith, Love, Charity, Serenity, Gratitude…. those words help to remind me of what is important even in sadness. I search for just the right rock to add to my collection and I may even write or paint the words I long to see, Peace and Courage, Be Brave, You’ve Got This. Taking long walks helps me to clear my mind, to breathe more fully, to connect to something other than my grief. My mind is elsewhere. My thoughts are flowing from falling leaves, to the animals scurrying up ahead of me. My body is moving, my lungs are full of fresh air, of life, of nature, of possibility…I AM ALIVE! I still, and always, will miss and long for those I love yet I have found that gifting myself a grief break is sacred and essential to healing. To living.

Each of us can find and assimilate strategies to brighten moments, to help reframe and reset our mindset, to enhance our mood, or to distract us in positive ways. Explore what takes you away from your pain, your struggles, your grief. It may be something from your childhood like coloring, dancing, building with legos. Perhaps it is something you have never tried but could find appealing now: biking, hiking, playing an instrument, painting, cooking, puzzles, word searches, gardening… You may feel sad, empty, stuck, fatigued, distracted and perhaps even hopeless but those feelings do not have to define, control, or limit you. You do not have to become those feelings. Feel them and engage your mind and body still. Grieving and living. Stuck and creating. Fatigued and busy. Lonely and engaged. Scared and brave. Counterbalance your feelings with action, with choice. Choose life even if you can not picture living it without your loved one beside you. Choose living because you are here. Find something each day that pulls you from your grief even for a few minutes. Gift yourself a grief break.