SELF-CARE TIPS: TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF WHILE GRIEVING

Bereavement is difficult, and often people find it hard to take care of themselves. It’s easy to just shut the world out after you experience the loss of a loved one. However, we encourage you to make self-care a priority. From spending time with friends and family to running errands, small efforts can go a long way when it comes to taking care of yourself. We also recommend working through our grief and loss group curriculum with a group for additional encouragement throughout your grief experience. 

Self-Care Tips To Help You Through the Grieving Process

Grief is a natural thing when you’ve lost a loved one. Times of grief can affect all areas of your life, so it is very important to actively think about self care while grieving. Let yourself feel the pain, but don’t live there permanently!

Spend Time With Friends and Family

It’s easy to isolate yourself from your friends and family after the death of a loved one. Especially after the first few weeks when things begin to settle down. However, it’s important to surround yourself with a community that can provide constant support.

Stay connected with friends and family and make yourself available to do things you would have done before your loss. Participate in normal activities that bring you joy, like family gatherings or nights out with friends.

Many people feel awkward when trying to comfort someone who is mourning a major loss. They want to offer support, but don’t know how. 

Instead of pushing them away, self care means you allow those who care about you to be around you to encourage you. This will help you feel that you’re not alone when you remember to engage with the support system around you. 

Try Not to Shut Yourself Off From the Outside World

Oftentimes, those who experience grief may hide away in their homes. They leave their blinds drawn, their car in the garage, and don’t answer the door when people come to visit. This can be a segue to depression and loneliness. 

Take care of yourself by continuing to live life. Open your windows. Sit on your front porch. Go for a walk. Run errands that you regularly completed before the loss of your loved one. It’s easier said than done, but it is one of the most effective ways to take care of yourself during grief.

Allow Yourself to Laugh and Have Fun

Sometimes, people believe that having fun soon after the loss of a loved one is inappropriate or disrespectful. We think it’s a great way to take care of yourself. Activities such as going to events and inviting people over can get your mind off of your grief. And can be one of the best ways to help you relax.

The holidays can be extremely tough, but allowing yourself to go to holiday parties and gatherings can make it easier because being around others can help you feel less alone. These things can make life seem a little more normal and enjoyable. Your thoughts and feelings may wander, but most people will understand you’re grieving through another first. 

Choose to Be in Positive Environments

Being around people who only want to talk about your loss can be harmful to your well-being. It’s a constant reminder of the death of your loved one. Though it’s okay to talk about your grief, it is also okay to not talk about it. Find those who will lift you up through your grief.

Prioritize your Physical Health

 Care for your body can become an afterthought when you’re grieving a loss. But the person who has died wouldn’t want you to forget to take care of yourself. Make a list for yourself if you have to, but drink plenty of water, try to eat healthy foods and don’t live on junk food (some is okay and offers comfort, but keep your balance here!), do something physical every day, at least for a few minutes. If you’re on any medications or supplements, set reminders if need be, and don’t forget them. 

Challenge Yourself to Circle Back

Oftentimes, it’s difficult to visit places or do things that remind you of your loved one. Maybe your loved one worked in the garage regularly or spent a lot of time reading on the back porch, so it hurts for you to go there. Maybe they loved to work in your garden, but now that they are gone you can’t bring yourself to take care of it. 

Push yourself to start by entering the area that you have trouble spending time in. Look around for a few seconds, then leave. Your next step could be to sit down or spend a little more time in that place. Little by little, work your way up to being comfortable in that space again. Create new memories in those areas so that you can feel comfortable being there again. 

Make Going to a Support Group a Priority 

Though surrounding yourself with friends and family after the loss of a loved one is a great way to care for yourself, it is also important to discuss your grief with people who are going through a similar experience.

Grief support groups can be an excellent outlet to express your emotions and discuss the struggles that you are facing while grieving. It also allows you to hear others share their stories. Working through a grief and loss group curriculum with your peers can provide additional encouragement and resources to help you understand and navigate your grieving journey.

See a Mental Health Professional

Sometimes we get stuck in the grief process. Being stuck is a sign of complicated grief. When the grief journey derails, friends, family, and even bereavement support groups may not be enough. Grief counseling can introduce you to different ways to think and provide a new way to release your emotions. It can give you a sense of control in your journey. 

Although friends and family are there to care for you through your loss, it is important to take care of yourself as well. We know that it can be hard to continue to live life after the death of a loved one, but know that it is possible.

Where to Find Support for Grief and Loss

Seek help with the pain of grief. Don’t carry it alone. There are bereavement support systems in many churches. If your church doesn’t have a support group, ask if they know of one nearby or suggest they look into starting one, such as our Hope Beyond Today program. A grief counselor may also be able to recommend a group nearby, as well

Contact us today if you have any additional questions about self-care throughout grieving, or if you are interested in information about our support group curriculum for grieving through the holidays.