When you are grieving, you are going through an immensely difficult time in your life. But self-care can play a very important role because it can be used to help you through, to reground you, or to keep your mind from wandering too much.
There are many different self-care tips you can incorporate into your life; they are very similar to coping skills. Having these tips in your back pocket will help you through your grief and healing journey, whether it’s just a few tips that you know you can rely on, or a large variety that you enjoy keeping in mind. No one grieves the same; some tips may work for others that do not work for you, and that is perfectly okay.
Make New Adventures
You can attempt to make new traditions or take new adventures. Of course, it is important to honor and remember your loved ones, but it can be just as important to create new traditions when they are no longer here. New traditions can help you continue through life and give you something to look forward to that is new and your own. New adventures can be as simple as finding a new park to walk through or as complex as traveling to a state or country you have never been to. Regardless, new traditions and adventures can be a positive goal to look toward as you are going through such a confusing and lost part of your life.
Take Care of Yourself
Another very important self-care tip is to take care of yourself. While going through such a raw and emotional time of life, it is easy to forget to take care of yourself, whether that be eating, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, or keeping up with basic hygiene. So try to plan out an adequate amount of meals for the week or make sure you drink a certain amount of water each day. You can even keep a journal where you track it all. Keeping track of your health can help you through your grief as well; it can serve as a “check-in” as to how you are coping and provides a positive goal to stay healthy during difficult times.
Communication
Along with everything stated above, communication is an important aspect of self-care. When dealing with grief, your friends, family, or coworkers may attempt to reach out and talk to you. Or, the complete opposite may happen, where they do not know how to even approach the subject. It helps to communicate to those around you what you do or do not need during this time. Your needs are going to change daily, weekly, and monthly. One day you may need someone to talk to you and the next you may need people to leave you alone. Communicating what would be most helpful to you each day is a great way to get your needs met. If you need to talk through your feelings to process them, consider calling a friend and asking when they are available! Or if you need people to stop asking about how you are doing, tell them you just need your space for the time being; take care of your needs first!
Give Grace
Lastly, give yourself time and grace. Your life is changing and will continue to change. Allow yourself to take time to grieve and process your changing life and situation. It is sometimes extremely difficult to accept and understand, but giving yourself the opportunity and time to think, process, and heal can be a major step in a long journey. Don’t force yourself to get back into your old routine, because that routine has now forever changed. Don’t bury your emotions and feelings deep down; allow yourself to feel them. This can help you heal. Being in touch with your emotions will allow you to heal and understand your grief more.