Don't Feel Like You Have to "Move On" From Your Grief

Finding a way to cope with grief is an essential task in life. We all experience loss and must come to terms with it in our own ways. The idea of "moving on" from grief suggests that we should forget the hurt and sadness we feel when someone close dies, when in fact we need to find a way to honor the person and carry their memory forward.

Grief can be overwhelming and can easily overshadow other parts of our lives. People grieve for different lengths of time and in different ways, but the process is often difficult, and it can even be debilitating. In many cases, however, it is necessary to confront one's grief and learn how to live with it.

The idea of "moving on" from grief implies that there is an end point. We may try to push our grief away, but it will never disappear completely. Trying to move on can be antithetical to honoring the memory and spirit of someone who has passed, and can lead to repressed feelings that ultimately make us feel worse. Instead, we should strive to keep our loved ones close by cherishing the memories we have of them.

We can talk about our loved ones with those close to us, share stories, visit their graves, or look at photographs of them. One powerful way of coming to terms with grief is through writing about a beloved family member or friend who has passed. Despite living without a physical presence in our lives, we still have a connection with them; by writing about them we can keep that connection alive.

In addition to writing, art is another means of connecting with the memory of someone from the past. Creating a painting or drawing can be therapeutic, allowing us to express our emotions in a visual form. We can also make sculptures or collages; this practice allows us to work through our grief without feeling burdened by it. Even if art has never been a particular passion of ours, we can still engage in this activity to put our feelings into words and images.

Another helpful tool for managing grief is bonding with animals. Pets can provide comfort and companionship that make us feel less alone even when we have lost someone important to us. Speaking with a pet helps us get our feelings out, while giving back to them can help us better appreciate the gift of life that they bring us when we feel like ours no longer has purpose or meaning.

It's important to remember that we are not obligated to "move on" from grief, but rather find a way to carry the memories and love of the person we've lost with us as we continue our life. Over time, the grief may become less raw and more manageable as our memories become part of us; this doesn't mean that it will ever entirely go away, but we may find solace in the fact that part of our loved one is still with us.