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The Idea of the Week
Let’s begin with National Grief Awareness Day, a 5-minute read. National Grief Awareness Day’s goal is to encourage communication about grief and loss, inform the public about grief, and offer resources to those who are going through grief and loss.
Now, let’s define some terms:
When we’re talking about grief, loss means the separation from someone or something that we love or that is precious to us. Loss is not specific to death or a person. Instead, loss can include
- relationships, such as friendships, romantic relationships, or familial relationships;
- pets;
- treasured objects;
- a miscarriage;
- retirement;
- job or financial stability;
- a cherished dream;
- health or safety;
- a home or a cherished location;
- parts of yourself you’ve left behind as you’ve grown;
- transitions in life, such as moving away from home, graduating from school or college, or changing jobs.
Grief is our natural emotional response to loss and solely focuses on our emotions. Grief can include a multitude of emotions that aren’t just sadness or depression; grief can consist of mixed emotions or feelings such as shock, frustration, hopelessness, confusion, guilt, disbelief, loss of appetite, nausea, anxiety, insomnia, distress, and more.
Did you know there are different types of grief? In this article, you’ll learn the Differences between Normal and Complicated Grief (a 5-minute read), and you’ll get a sneak peek of other types of grief, such as delayed grief.
Mourning is the outward expression of grief. One’s cultural, religious, and spiritual traditions may influence how an individual mourns. Mourning may include performing rituals such as a funeral or celebration of life, doing something in the deceased’s honor, praying, or sharing positive memories. Mourning may also include activities or journal prompts that help the individual process their loss and grief.
Practice of the Week
Experiencing loss and working through grief can be difficult, especially when our emotions feel overwhelming and all-consuming. This week, we’ll share a few tips for coping with grief.
Grief is an emotional response to loss, but it can also affect us physically. In this first article, you’ll learn How to Cope with the Physical Effects of Grief, a 6-minute read.
Next, let’s look at 9 Tips and Activities for Coping with Grief, a 14-minute video.
Lastly, in this 7-minute video, you’ll learn 5 Things About Grief No One Really Tells You.
The Thought of the Week
Wishing you a peaceful week!
