Losing a loved one often feels like you’ve lost part of yourself. Whether you lost a friend, a spouse, a parent, or a child, the grief can easily become overwhelming. People may try to provide reassurance and comfort, but it’s often little more than a platitude.
It’s tempting to simply succumb to the grief as it slowly consumes your life. You must remember, though, that this is not what your loved one would want. Your loved one would want you to take care of yourself. Friends of Old Folkestone Cemetery invites you to find out how you can do this by setting healthy goals as you process your grief.
Getting Mental Health Care for Grief
Losing a loved one is hard. Do not be afraid or ashamed of seeking professional help to get you through this time. There are self-care practices you can take, which will be addressed below, but never underestimate the power of having someone really listen to you. If you find that you experience symptoms of depression, or if your feelings of grief remain overwhelming, it may be time to seek out professional mental health care.
You can pursue mental health care through telehealth, where you can access these services online. Online therapy gives you more options, eliminates the expenses of travel, and is often more affordable, too. Find a provider who offers a free consultation so you can gauge whether they’re a good fit for your needs.
When using telehealth solutions, you’ll likely be given several documents as PDFs to keep for your records. If you need to annotate those documents, the best solution is to use an online PDF editor. This will allow you to add notes and make highlights to remind you of important information when you access the documents later. But if you want to combine files for easier storage, use this to merge PDF files together. It’s a free tool that allows you to add files to the drop zone, rearrange them as you’d like, and merge them.
Encourage Daily Growth Through Self-Care
There are many simple things that you can do to slowly push yourself forward during grief. Spending time with family and friends is one strategy. You should also ensure you’re getting enough sunlight, either by opening windows or going outside. Some people find that organizing and decluttering their home may improve their mental health. Indeed, this can reduce stress and help you create an environment at home that’s more peaceful — and thus more conducive to healing.
Pursuing things you love and enjoy is also a balm for the aching heart. Perhaps you have a hobby that has fallen by the wayside. Or, you could just catch your favorite team’s ball game. Make the experience worthwhile by looking for discounted tickets online and using an online tool’s interactive seating chart for the best views.
Look for Career-Related Changes to Make You Happier
Pursuing career-related goals can give you a tangible focus that is otherwise missing when you’re grieving. Perhaps you want to follow a new career path, or simply find a new employer that allows for better work/life balance. You can use a resume generator to redesign and refocus your previous experience to show how you’re qualified for that new, better position. The templates take all of the design work out of it and allow you to focus on making your experience shine.
Another option is starting your own business. This endeavor can help create a positive distraction and give direction to your energy. To streamline the process, consider taking advantage of formations services—organizations that can walk you through how to start a limited company and take care of the initial paperwork. Working on such projects gives way to a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that goes beyond the sadness of grief. Being able to throw yourself into something can even make it easier to accept reality and move forward.
Take Care of Your Physical Health
According to Foodism, it’s not uncommon for people to gain weight while grieving. Conversely, some people shed pounds in response to their pain. Taking care of your physical health — including your weight — is essential to dealing with grief. To this end, you should find ways to eat healthily and exercise. If you don’t feel like you have enough time, take small steps to get in physical activity during the day, such as choosing the stairs over the elevator or going for a walk before work.
Meditation is also a great investment in your physical — and mental — health. Meditation has been shown to minimize your body’s response to stress, which is especially important when you are grieving. This, in turn, will minimize its release of cortisol and help to curb your body’s inflammation.
Finally, you should be sure that you are getting enough sleep. Harvard Medical School notes that many people find that grief triggers insomnia, but sleepless nights will only further exacerbate your suffering. If you need to, try an over-the-counter sleep aid such as melatonin or create a bedtime routine that helps you calm down.
Don’t Let Loss Consume Your Life
Loss is one of the worst experiences a person can have. Although people will assure you that your feelings will pass, you may still feel consumed by your grief. If so, there are several steps you can take to mitigate the pain and ensure that you’re taking care of yourself. Start by setting healthy goals for your body and mind, including exercise and self-care. Then, make small steps to achieve those goals every day. Bit by bit, you will make it through.
