Even though all of us struggle with grief at one time or another, we all tend to feel as though we’re facing it alone – and along with the grief of missing a loved one, we often also experience chills, aches, sleeplessness, and fatigue. Some days, it may even feel like our minds cannot stop racing; other days, we may struggle just to get out of bed. Furthermore, grief can attack the immune system, increase blood pressure and weaken our hearts. However, despite how it seems, we aren’t alone. It’s possible to move beyond grief by allowing ourselves to mourn and engaging in self-care. To help, here are some practical tips.
Heal Your Body
When you want a healthy body, you must start with what you put into it. Make sure you eat healthy foods that boost your overall mood. People who eat several servings of vegetables and fruits throughout the day have a better track record with mental health.
To heal and feel better about yourself, you need adequate sleep every night. Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. Sleep deprivation causes a person to lack behavioral and cognitive functions.
Exercise can also alleviate symptoms of depression brought forward by grief. Cardio boosts your mood and pumps feel-good hormones into your brain. Additionally, exercise allows you to purge your emotions to leave you feeling better after.
Change Your Mind
Rediscover the things that you enjoy. If you live in NYC, consider attending a Yankee game. Some websites offer discounted tickets online. When looking for tickets, sort by price range, date, and seat rating. Some online ticket sellers provide you with a seating chart of Yankee Stadium. The seating chart gives you a 360-degree virtual in-seat view before you purchase. There are various other attractions to visit while in NYC. Catch a Broadway show or attend the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Meditation gives you time to relax and mull over your current life. Meditation can help if you feel overwhelmed with your loss. To meditate, find a place to sit upright for 15 to 20 minutes. Always breathe slowly and stay attentive to how you feel. Try to imagine the person you grieve and spend a few minutes thinking of everything you need to say to them.
Do not forget about your support system. Online therapy is a more convenient, private, and secure way to go through therapy without leaving the house. Online, you have a wide variety of licensed professionals. Also, you can save money on travel and generally do not have to pay for healthcare. Most therapists even provide a consultation. All in all, it’s more cost-effective.
Last but not least, another great way to push through your grief and gain some fresh perspective is by going back to school. Consider an advanced degree in a field of interest – either for your own knowledge or perhaps even as a prelude to starting your business. And if you choose an online program, you can still enjoy the flexibility of learning at your own pace from a location of your choosing.
Refresh Your Life
The loss of a loved one can remind you of the shortness of life and motivate you to push forward in your life. You may want to change careers to something more fulfilling. Think about your passions and your previous jobs. Determine what you want out of life.
Start to build a new professional network. Consider volunteering in the field you want to work in. Part-time work and volunteer positions can help you obtain new skills for your career change. Before you seek a new position, update your resume and add your latest accomplishments, skills, and experience. PDF editors can help you make changes to your resume. Upload the file online and make changes before you download and share it.
Grief tends to hijack a person’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. However, you can still overcome it. Allow yourself to focus on your health because if you let grief attack your physical health, you will not have the strength to fight off the emotional turmoil that mourning brings. Invest time in curating healthy habits and spending time with loved ones.
Lucille Rosetti