(ThySistas.com) One of the hardest things in life is moving past the death of a loved one. Whether it is parent, child, relative or friend, it is tough coping with the fact that an important part of your life is no longer physically in your world.
I know first hand how this feels because I lost my father eight years ago. It was a struggle then and it is still a struggle at times now. Every day I think of my father and every day I have to make a conscious decision to go on; to be happy. I know that I will never get over the fact that he died, but I learned that there are things I can do to keep life moving forward.
So if you are dealing with grief as a result of losing a loved one, here are some things that you can do to cope and move forward.
Give Yourself Time to Grieve
Everyone deals with loss in different ways and that’s understandable. With that, you have got to give yourself time to grieve. It’s easy to try to put it away and not think about it, but it will come up at some point in your life. It’s best to deal with it within the first year after your loss so you can handle it while it’s fresh.
Find Ways To Remember
I have found that one of the best ways to deal with the loss of my father was finding ways to honor him. Whether that is displaying a memorial to him in my home, writing about him, speaking about him annually on his birthday or wanting to do something personal to keep his memory alive, it helped me deal with him not being here. Find a way to do the same for your loved one.
Get Help
Moving forward after losing someone takes all of your energy. This is where getting some kind of professional help can assist you in doing so. It’s okay to speak to a therapist because they can help you sort through any issues you have. If you don’t want to see someone professionally, you can also talk to a friend. No matter what you decide, this aspect of the moving forward process is extremely beneficial.
Get Out
Spending time doing things that make you happy can be a great way of moving past your loss. It’s very easy to sink into a depression or to just want to stay in the house, and for sure there is time for that. But at some point, and it may take you pushing yourself more than usual, it’s helpful to get out. Do something fun that can take your mind off of the grief like go to the movies, or a concert or spend time with a group of friends.
The grieving process is one that each person who experiences loss has to go through. No one can force you to do it within a certain timeframe. Only you can really decide when and how long. These are just some suggestions to help you understand the importance of moving on (eventually) and some ideas on how to do so.
Staff Writer; Rasheda Abdullah