We Don’t Recover From Grief and That’s Okay

If you’re experiencing grief, it’s likely you’ve heard the following sentiments:

• “It just takes time”

• “Time will heal the pain”

• “Hang in there – it gets easier” 

• “You just need to get closure”

The thing is, time really won’t heal anything.

The only thing that time accomplishes is (possibly) not having grief at the forefront of your mind and thoughts every day.

But your grief can be pushed back into clear view at any time – for the rest of your life.

Triggers are everywhere – in our mind and in the physical world.  And those triggers can bring a person to their knees at virtually any moment of their lives.

Grief creates a void that will never be fully filled by anything else.

Here’s the good news:  it’s okay that we’ll never fully recover.  Grief is the ultimate expression of love.

The challenge is acknowledging that grief is a life-long process and acquiring the necessary skills to cope with it throughout one’s life.

It’s critical that we change the conversation and stop giving grief an expiration date or time frame.  We must, as a society, find ways to teach and adopt lifelong coping skills instead of encouraging others to push grief aside.

How can we do this?

Support groups

Whether virtual or in-person, support groups offer guidance, knowledge, and comfort.  The simple realization that you aren’t alone and that it’s okay not to be okay can make all of the difference.

Knowledge

Knowledge is power.  The more we understand grief and learn the skills needed the cope, the better off we will be as a society.

Actively Moving Forward® provides both of these things – for free.  We encourage everyone to use our support groups and resources and to share them freely.  Register for our app today or learn more at healgrief.com/activelymovingforward

Connection is Critical When You Are Grieving

Each person experiences grief differently.  It’s a life-long journey that is completely unique to each person.

Yet, at its core – grief begins at the experience of loss.

It’s the loss of companionship.  The loss of connection.

This loss can be extremely isolating.  The mere fact that no one else in the entire world will experience grief the way that you will is a bleak and lonely prospect.

Even though no one will experience grief the way that you do, doesn’t mean that you can’t relate to others who are actively dealing with grief.

In fact, quite the opposite is true.  There is comfort in numbers.

This is why connection is so important when one is experiencing grief.

Why?

While so many people in your own life may be wondering when you’ll be “back to normal”, connecting with someone else who’s experiencing grief allows you to be met where you’re at and with understanding.

This can make all the difference – understanding that it’s okay not be okay and being surrounded by those willing to listen without judgment.

This is why we created our virtual support groups here at AMF.  They are available right at your fingertips through our app – instant connection and support right when you need it – day or night.

If you’re experiencing grief or know someone who is, we encourage you to register for our app and check out the virtual support groups – and share this resource with others.

It truly can make all the difference in the world to just be amongst people that “get it” when the rest of the world seems so far away.