Feeling empowered while moving through grief can be an incredibly healing part of the process. So often, we struggle with feelings of shame or guilt after going through a loss. However, it is possible to move through your grief journey in an empowered way.
How can we become empowered while grieving? Well, it involves three key elements...
Compassionate Community
It is essential to have a supportive community -- one that can support you on your journey without judgment. This experience will offer great validity around the feelings you are moving through, and this on its own is very empowering. A compassionate community can affirm that you don't have to be ashamed of your feelings and offer a positive space to simply let you be you.
Honor Your Loss
It is also important to honor your loss in your own personal way. Consider what would be the most meaningful way to honor your loss -- whether that includes creating a ritual, gathering with friends, doing volunteer work, or visiting a meaningful place -- and incorporate it regularly into your life. Do what feels special to you.
Honor and Love Yourself
Another big one is all about honoring and loving yourself. Honor the path that you are on and give yourself unconditional love and support as if you were your own best friend. When you are hurting, this is especially vital to your overall health and healing. A few ways to honor yourself would be to attend a support group, go to individual counseling to really focus on YOU, treat yourself to a massage, try a gentle yoga class, or post positive affirmations on your mirror.
These uplifting means of support will help you to feel empowered and nurture your inner strength as you gradually move forward day to day. Grief can amazingly teach us about the strength that resides within. Allow yourself to gradually tap into that strength by exercising positive self-talk, connecting with others who can support and understand your loss, and reaching for healthy outlets that honor your journey and allow you to move at your own pace.
Remember, to have loss is to be human. With each loss, we add on to our layers of experience. We always hold the ability to honor our losses with grace and dignity. There is nothing weak or small about this journey. I invite you to open up to your empowered sense of self as you continue to feel your grief. Allow grief and empowerment to exist together hand in hand. This is both natural and life transforming!