TL;DR Losing someone important to you is a difficult situation to go through. But, know that if you’re patient enough to go through the process, you’ll come out of it stronger and more resilient.

Life is a precious gift; it should be cherished and enjoyed. Especially when we know we could lose it at any moment. Having lost someone is one of life’s worst feelings, and overcoming it is a difficult challenge.

In these difficult times, having social support will help a lot in moving forward. But not at all times do we have someone on our side; although time will eventually help us recover from our grief, it is always better to cope with the loss by ourselves.

Everyone has a different way of coping with a loss. Some are suffering from grief but can go on with their lives, while others may be too affected by the loss and have difficulty moving forward.

While emotions are consuming us in these difficult times, we need to move forward with our lives.

Don’t Go Hard On Yourself

Everyone has suffered a loss, and when we are grieving, we forget to take care of ourselves. The grieving process might take a toll on our bodies and lead us into a downward spiral.

Being healthy emotionally and physically will help us cope better with the loss. Eating healthy foods, exercising, getting plenty of rest, and socializing with people. Don’t be afraid to go out and enjoy the day this will help ease things.

Loss is a natural occurrence, and being in grief would be our natural reaction, but that doesn’t mean we will forget to take care of ourselves because of what we feel. It may take a while, but taking the necessary steps to ensure that our mind and body are in the right state is the better way to cope with a loss.

Express Your Feelings

When we grieve, we feel sadness most of the time; this is normal since we suffer from a loss. Some people like to talk about their feelings to lessen the pain, while others like to keep it to themselves. That’s okay; no one should feel pressured into talking about their feelings if they are uncomfortable.

A better way to let your emotions out is to express them in different ways. You can do it by writing a journal entry or a poem for them; you can also do a photo collage of your loved one, and you can do this alone or with someone. This will help you manage and embrace your feelings and thoughts toward the loss.

Acceptance

You would feel a wide array of emotions, from sadness to anger. This might overwhelm you at some point, and it would be exhausting. A better way to cope with a loss is by accepting the situation at our own pace.

You don’t need to rush the process; grieving will always be a part of it, and you will experience every bit of it. We slowly pick ourselves up and continue with our lives. You can talk to someone or do something you enjoy to divert your attention. Finding a positive influence in your life could make things much easier as you get over the loss. 

 Better Days are Coming

When we suffer from a loss, there are days we are uncertain about how we can move forward with our lives. It feels like gray skies are always ahead of us. This might be the case when we are always down and alone.

Whatever happens, we must move on with our lives. Believing that none of this will last forever and that we will eventually be able to stand on our own. Having a positive outlook will make things easier for you to move forward.

I am not saying that you will forget everything you had with your loved one; in fact, you can honor them in many different ways. You can donate items to your loved one’s favorite charity, you can make memorabilia, and if you are ready, you can talk about them with people. We have different ways of coping with a loss, but to move forward, we must think that better days are coming. 

Seek professional help

It takes time to adjust when a loved one perishes, and when you are grieving, it is always better to be surrounded by people who support you. You can find support from your friends and family, but if you are having a hard time coping with a loss, don’t be afraid to seek professional help.

Therapy is one way to help you learn to cope with a loss better. You can open yourself to a therapist and get much-needed help. Support can also be found in various support groups and religious congregations.

Accepting a loss is always a difficult process, it takes time and effort. We must work through our emotions to fully grasp the situation. In these trying times, it would be best to be surrounded by the right people.

Knowing that this feeling will not last forever, we must take steps to help us cope better with a loss as we move forward with our lives. We can always honor and remember our loved ones in our own way.

Krysti (Lan Chi) Vo, MD, is a psychiatrist speaker, and advisor that helps people to better cope with pain and grieve. 

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