Grief is the natural emotional reaction to loss. It is the sadness, pain, and sorrow that comes with death, loss of a marriage, or unemployment. Grief is a process of healing that everyone has to go through in order to move on with life. Grief can be experienced in different ways depending on the person and the situation.

The grieving process can be slow or fast, and it can take a few weeks, months, or years for people to get through it. The important point is that we can get through the process and learn from the experience. In the case of a divorce or job change, it can often turn out for the better when one has taken the time to pivot at the crossroads and proceed in a new direction.

From my experience, the grieving process is not linear and there are different stages that people go through when they are grieving. There are three major stages: denial, anger, and acceptance. All these stages are important parts of the healing process because they help people come to terms with what has happened.

Most people go through the three stages of grief when faced with major life changes, but there's no agreement on how many stages are necessary for each person. Some people require six stages, while others adjust with less. Again, this is an individual process and each can be different depending on the circumstances.

 The differences are because everyone has different needs, mindsets, and goals when it comes to their journey of self-development. Healing from a loss is a growth experience and very much a part of self-development. Another factor is the individuals expectations, wants, and desires.

Most people progress all the way through the grieving process to move on and achieve what they want in life. This means they have reconciled and faced the emotions tied to the event and have learned from the experience. When grieving the loss of a loved one, memories seem to waft in and out throughout the day with no rhyme or reason. This is my experience as I continue to process the loss of my elder son from Covid.

The process that I continue to rely on is as follows:

First, the following seven points are top of mind: 1. Have a clear understanding of your goals and values, 2. Take care of yourself by exercising and eating well, 3. Build a strong network of supportive people that will help you in your journey, 4. Be courageous enough to take risks and try new things, 5. Learn how to become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions so that you can take charge of your life, 6. Know Your Powers of wisdom, love, strength, truth, zeal, will, understanding, and release, and 7. Develop daily practices for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing before you are overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, or fear.

Everyone has their own definition of success. Some people define success through their career, others may define it in terms of family life. How do you define success? Being mindful leads to making intentional decisions.

Lastly, have patience and gift yourself grace. 

Here's to spreading healing thoughts of love and light.

Cheers,

Lisa