10 Lessons learned living with grief

Whether it’s the death of a pet, a family member, a divorce, or the loss of a job, we all must deal with grief at some point. Grief is a normal part of the healing process. Your life has been permanently changed when you suffer such a loss, and it requires healing to get past the event and move forward. While grief is painful, there are many things to learn from grief. Challenging times provide the possibility of growth. I know this to be true myself. So, today I’ll share with you 10 lessons learned living with grief.

10 Lessons Learned living with Grief

1. Grief creates gratitude. You might not think you have anything to be grateful for, but grief happens when things are taken away from us. Grief can help you to appreciate what you had, as well as what you still have. It’s easy to take things for granted. Grief is a tough way to learn to be more grateful.

2. Grief can help you engage with your life. It’s very easy to float along without really committing to anything. Tragedy can be a wake-up call and remind you that your time is limited. There are only so many days left. Ensure that you’re making the most of each day.

3. Grief cannot be solved by avoiding it. You might try to avoid your grief by staying busy. But you cannot stuff your grief into an overhead compartment without something falling on your head sooner or later. You’ll find that your grief will be waiting for you, and your sadness will get your full attention eventually.

4. Grief can help you to refocus. Perhaps you spend too much time focused on work at the expense of your family life. Use grief as a time of reflection. Are you spending your time in the best manner for you? Have you ever thought about it? Do you take time to sit in silence with yourself and meditate? Grief can help you refocus and get centered again.

5. Life does not stop. After a tragedy, life continues and 99.999% of the people on the planet are unaffected. Everything keeps moving forward. Your life must continue too. It doesn’t seem fair that the world doesn’t take a timeout for your grief. But there’s always someone grieving somewhere. Nothing would ever get accomplished if the world stopped operating. Moving forward does not mean you forget; it just means you will not allow grief to stop you living life.

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6. You can move on, knowing that things cannot get worse. You may have had the worst experience you’ll ever have. There’s a certain relief in that knowledge. Everything can seem easy by comparison after you’ve successfully dealt with grief.

7. Bitterness only creates more pain. Some of us tend to be bitter regardless of the occasion. Grief highlights the fact that bitterness is not a viable strategy for dealing with life. Grief can facilitate a less bitter view of life. Use the experience in grief to not make you bitter but make you better.

8. You’ll find out who your friends really are. It is uncomfortable to be around others in pain. Your true friends will be there for you, while others will find an excuse to stay away. Remember those who have good intentions and want the best for you will find a way to show they care. This can mean showing up in person or letting you know they care from across the pond with a phone call.

9. You can overcome anything. Your life will eventually recover from your loss. It is surprising how good things can be after enough time has passed. You can then approach the future with the knowledge that you can handle anything life has in store. You’ll be stronger than you have ever been.

10. You become less small-minded. After dealing with great heartache, it’s not easy to be petty. The small things become even smaller. The important things become more important. Grief can be a blessing in this regard. You no longer sweat the small stuff and your life has the potential to become richer in the future.

Conclusion

Grief gives you an opportunity to reevaluate your life and refocus. It allows us time for reflection and an opportunity for growth and learning valuable life lessons. Practice gratitude, mindfulness, and self-care. Understand all things work together for good in the end.

Turn to your friends and family during difficult times and one day soon, you’ll be able to move forward, stronger than ever. Remember, your life experiences help mold and shape you into the person you are meant to be.

Share your thoughts

What did you think of these lessons learned living with grief? Did any of these lessons resonate with you? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Don’t forget to pin and share this post with a friend!

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out these other grief-related posts below.

8 Ways to help you find happiness in times of grief

10 Grief quotes to make you reflect and find healing

6 Tips I used to deal with grief-related insomnia