People who grieve can live again.
The key is to give yourself permission to grieve. Such feelings are so powerful that if we do not experience and express them, then they reside inside and may cause illness and even death to the bereft.
Grieving can be an overwhelming experience, but if you start with these simple steps and work on them a little bit each day, you can move through your grief and live again.
First, you must take care of your physical needs.
• Eat nourishing foods as the immune system is compromised with grief.
• Get enough sleep because grief takes a lot of energy.
• Exercise.
• Stay away from things like alcohol, drugs and caffeine whenever possible.
Take interior time for yourself. Do this through journaling, meditation and prayer; as well as any creative activity that allows you to express actively what is difficult to express orally, such as painting, arts and crafts, music, etc.
Find a grief counselor. This counselor can guide you and your family through the process so that at a certain time, on a specific date, you will confront your grief in a safe environment. If necessary, your counselor might temporarily consider a multi-disciplined approach of counseling, medication/anti-depressants and behavior modification.
Grieving is a journey that you make with your lost loved one and those who have been left behind. There comes a point in the process where you must choose to override the fear of transitioning into another stage of life by realizing that you are not letting your loved one go, but rather integrating that person into your present life where she will live in the world through you.