Naming Grief
National Grief Awareness Day: Let’s Name It
Grief is a natural response to loss. It can encompass a wide range of emotions such as anger, sadness, confusion, and guilt. As today is National Grief Awareness Day, this blog is dedicated to shining light on such a difficult experience that can often get pushed away in a fast paced, non-stop society.
We have all experienced grief in some way, shape, or form. Grief can come from losing a loved one, moving out of a home, job loss, health decline, or ending of a friendship. No matter the cause, your grief is worthy of attention and it does not have a timeline. Grief is also subjective and unique to each individual. Grief has a way of showing up in times where we least expect it to; in the middle of a meeting, a grocery store or when you're on your way home from work on the train. Oftentimes we view these moments of deep sadness or awareness of that sadness as "inconvenient" or feel as though we need to apologize for having a reaction to something sad we experience. Grief can also create a sense of guilt. Guilt about moving forward with your life, having fun, smiling, laughing. It leaves us wondering whether we are being perceived as not “sad enough” or “too sad” to be able to function as individuals.
The truth is that grief can be messy and unpredictable, yet powerful and reflective. We begin to lean on our support systems in ways that strengthen our connections, start to create a sense of self again, strengthening our identity and how we experience grief. We also learn to take each moment of grief or sadness as it comes, without being afraid of how it might look. We then learn and expand our range of emotions, being aware of how we show up and how we might feel about something. Yes, grief is scary, it's difficult, painful, uncomfortable, but it teaches us resilience, power and strength in our identity. If you or someone close to you are experiencing grief, here are some helpful tools to consider:
Acknowledge it: Grief is not something to “fix”. Rather, it is an emotion to tend to. Naming your experience and your loss can be the first step to honoring it.
Leaning on your support network: Whether it is friends, family, or a therapist here at Health in Tandem, sharing your experience can help you continue navigating the emotion.
Be gentle with yourself: Grief can take its toll on you. It impacts sleep, nutrition, even your immune system. Prioritize your rest and take it slow.
Release the mental timeline: Sometimes you might find yourself wondering "should I be over this by now?”. That is the grief talking to you, not your actual truth. Healing does not follow a timeline, it has no deadline.
Creating Remembrance: When a wave of grief hits, find ways to honor whatever your loss may be. It can be lighting a candle, revisiting a place, making art, or looking at photos. Rituals and remembrance can be grounding.
Let’s honor our grief and the grief of others. We do not need to suffer in silence or suffer alone. Your grieving experience is valid and healing is possible. As we acknowledge grief today, let’s also honor the love that can be shared through this experience.