For those of us who were open to it, 2020 taught us many things. One of the biggest lessons I learned and experienced with others was how to grieve together. With so many losses of stability, lives, careers, homes, friends, income, plans, and more, there were so many of us who had to grieve the loss of control.
With all the closures, being kept from our loved ones, and unable to go to our places of comfort, it was hard to feel secure. Through that though, we had the opportunity to look beyond what we lost to more importantly recognizing what stills we had learned. Those skills are what helped us get back on our feet and feeling more stable.
As time went on, there were ten key skills I practiced to help myself move forward in a confident, positive way. My hope is that by sharing these, you too can start experiencing the feelings of hope and stability once again.
1. Letting go of the outcome
2. Letting go of timelines
3. Acknowledging what I’m really feeling about both the little and big losses of the last year
4. Allowing myself time and space to feel what I need to feel (Walter Bond recommends three days max, even if that means giving yourself three days a couple of times a month to feel the stress and sadness of so much loss)
5. Make a 3-5 step plan for how you can and will move forward
6. Share your goals with a friend and ask them for encouragement along the way
7. Celebrate the small wins – each step forward is a move in the right direction
8. Take care of yourself by getting plenty of rest, incorporating movement, drinking water, and practicing mindful nutrition
9. Reevaluate your plan and its steps weekly then adjust as needed
10. Be accepting of starting over again
This week, I encourage you to choose one of the 10 steps to focus on. Whether you apply it to something big or small, it’s better than applying it to nothing at all! You may be surprised by how much relief you’ll find.
What does living your exceptional life look like to you?
What have you done to acknowledge and move through your grief in these difficult times?
What can you do to support and encourage others as they journey through their grief?
What was your biggest loss during this time? What did you gain amidst it?
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