Grief is probably one of the most powerful human emotions, it’s hard to fit all its meaning into one word. At some point in our lives, we will all experience grief, it’s something that takes hold of us and we’ve just got to ride it out like a rollercoaster. Even though you may feel like breaking free or rising above the grief is impossible at the moment, there are quite a few techniques to help all of us move through this all-encompassing emotion more gracefully, and even see our way out of it to a better version of ourselves.

Here are a few steps to follow to let the process of grieving happen in the most elegant and comfortable way possible. 

Know You Are Not Alone in Grief

No matter what kind of event has caused your grief, the first step is knowing that no matter what, you are not alone. Whether it be your dog, a parent, or a close friend, it’s a fact that others are also grieving with you, even though their relationship to the being you miss was different or not as close, they are in it with you. 

More existentially, you are not alone as every human that has ever lived and ever will live has experienced grief, and guaranteed to a more severe degree than you. Knowing that grief and hardships are synonymous with being alive and being a human, makes it a bit easier to relate to reality in this difficult time.

Let it Sink In

The shock of grief can be great. The first reaction might be to run away or drown your grief with distractions or other unhealthy habits. The truth is though, you need this initial time to let it really sink it. Dive fully into the grief, because whether you believe it or not, it will pass. But you will never get this crucial time period back, you must face your grief, pain, and sadness head-on otherwise this emotion could manifest into other negative emotions or actions down the line.

Take the time to really let the grief wash over you, no matter how difficult, because if you don’t take this crucial time to acknowledge the facts, you will only have to do so later in life, realizing you should have taken the emotional power to deal with it when you had a chance.

Start to Write it All Down

A good starting point even before talking it out is starting with a journal, write all your emotions and thoughts, dreams, and ideas down relating to your grief. This will help you find meaning in the abstractness of life, it will help you form ideas and words about the event, about your grief, and how you actually feel about it. Try writing a letter to the person or being that you’ve lost, perhaps something you didn’t get to say before they left.

Write about how they impacted your life, write about the good and the bad, and get it all out. This should be a cathartic exercise. Writing will help you make sense of all the chaos you are currently feeling.

Share your Feelings Openly

After experimenting with writing down your feelings and ideas about the event, start to talk out loud about your pain and grief with a close friend or family member. It can’t be said more factually that speaking about your emotions whether they are grief or other is one of the most important things we can do as humans to cope with our emotions. 

If you are more comfortable talking to a counselor or trained professional compared to a friend or colleague, then go for it. No matter what, make sure you talk it out. You don’t want those negative emotions and feelings becoming lodged within the energy of your being.

Dive into Yoga or other Physical Activity

The next step is to find some sort of activity that stimulates your connection to the divine, there is nothing more powerful than yoga! This is a special part of our lives where we are perhaps the closest we may get or feel to the spiritual realm. Take advantage of this time of healing by practicing yoga and meditation with intention.

Practice at home or with others in a studio. Feel the energy move through your body and try to expel the pain and fear you are holding inside your grief. Use your practice to cleanse yourself. We will always hold these people and things dear to us but there is no point to wallow in grief and pain for the rest of our days. We must overcome.

Stay Active and Get Back to your Regular Activities

Once we have traveled through the above steps, we have progressed quite far in the grieving process. Whenever you feel most ready, it’s a great time to return to our regular activities and schedule. This will give us a sense of purpose and restore or motivation for life. We must find our lives again, this will help us move on and find joy and happiness again in the things we love. 

Acceptance 

The final stage is acceptance. Knowing that there is nothing we can do to reverse time or fix the problem, we must accept the events that have come to pass with grace and positivity, we must not be overtaken by bitterness or a sour taste for life in general. 

Of course, we will never forget those that we loved and cherished, we must find a new way to carry them with us into the future, in a beautiful and positive light no matter what. We must accept the past, and see the future as a new opportunity for growth and understanding. Going through a loss is probably one of the most powerful and transformational things we will encounter in our lives. In a way, we must feel lucky to be alive and experience it all, the beautiful and the ugly.