+ HEALTH & Wellness
Manage Grief with Grace
this Holiday Season
Holidays are filled with traditions,
but when someone you used to
share those moments with has
died, managing grief during the holiday
season can be particularly challenging.
Mental and physical preparation are
your best tools for managing the feelings
that may accompany holidays. While
family members, particularly children,
may want things to be as they’ve always
been, the reality is things have changed.
It can also be a time to create new traditions
and memories that honor your
absent loved one.
Consider this advice from the National
Funeral Directors Association to
help navigate grief this holiday season.
Get plenty of rest. The holiday season
pulls people in many directions,
and that can mean getting less sleep
than you need. However, being tired
has a physical impact on how you
feel and can affect your ability to
process emotions.
Give yourself permission to take a
break. No two people process grief
and loss the same way; only you know
your limits. Even in a season filled with
obligations and commitments, know
22 Central Florida Lifestyle | December 2019
that it’s OK to set boundaries and remove
yourself from holiday reminders
and triggers. That may mean flipping
the channel on the TV or bypassing
the holiday display at the store. Taking
care of yourself when you’re grieving
isn’t just about finding comfort, it’s
also about avoiding discomfort.
Be realistic with your commitments.
You may be the one who hosts
your family’s holiday celebration every
year, but if others offer to take responsibility,
let them. Allow loved ones to
help, and if they don’t volunteer, don’t
be afraid to ask.
Look for tangible ways to express
feelings. So much of grief is internal
as you manage numerous thoughts
and emotions, but physical expressions
of your memories and feelings
can help process it all. The Remembering
A Life Self-Care Box contains
several resources to help you take care
of yourself, including a journal, a rose
quartz stone that promotes relaxation,
a water bottle, a jar to hold written
memories of your loved one, a soothing
candle, a dragonfly keychain and a
soothing essential oil roller.
Verbalize how you’re feeling. Manage
expectations by telling family
and friends how you’re feeling about
the holiday and what they can expect
from you. Also let them know
what you need from them. If talking
about your loved one brings comfort,
let those around you know you
appreciate the stories and reminiscing.
If it hurts, ask that they refrain.
Honor your feelings and needs.
As most who have experienced loss
know, grief comes in waves. The
only way to process grief is to ride
one wave to the next. That may
mean putting off your holiday shopping
for a day when you’re feeling
less emotional or bowing out of an
event you planned to attend.
Include your loved one in the
holidays. There’s no right or wrong
way to incorporate your loved one’s
memory; that all depends on what
feels right to you. It may mean serving
their favorite dish, placing a
photo on the mantel or slipping a
memento in your pocket so you can
touch it when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
How to handle the holidays when you are dealing with the loss of a loved one.
Source: National Funeral Directors Association, rememberingalife.com
/rememberingalife.com