Self Care During Our Grief Journey

Grieving takes a lot of work and a lot of energy out of us!

Often after the funeral ends and friends and family go home the toughest days are upon us.  These days don’t dissipate just because we “look ok”, “act ok”, “seem ok” or even laugh.

Grief can be exhausting, lonely, and at times difficult to manage.  Grief often is a moment-by-moment journey.   I like to look at grief as an opportunity to re-discover ourselves.  It takes time to get there and re-invest in life, but it does happen if you are willing, get support, reach out, and share.

This past week during our bereavement group at Coral Springs Funeral Home we looked at self-care during the grieving process.  We looked at things that deplete our energy and also nourish and uplift us up.  Check out the diagram below and follow these simple directions.  You can do this on your own, with you family, friends or someone who loves and supports you.  It is a conversation you can have over coffee, tea, a dessert or anything you fancy.

1. Put your name in the middle.
2. Anything that takes away from you or depletes your energy put on the outside of the circle.  These things can be people, conversations, habits, behaviors, thoughts, situations, actions, etc.
3. Anything that nourishes you put on the inside of the circle.  These are things that give back to you, lift you up, and support you.
4. Have a conversation with others to generate more ideas and possibilities.
5. Keep this exercise in your consciousness because as you live your day-to-day life you will discover other things that both deplete you and nourish you.
6. With new awareness around what depletes you and what nourishes you, you get to choose what is best for you from moment to moment.  It increases your own resources during your grief journey.

If you liked this exercise and can see how coming to a bereavement group might be beneficial to you we would love for you to come join us.  CLICK HERE for details of where and when we meet.  Our Bereavement Groups are ALWAYS complimentary to ALL participants.

By Katie Lemieux