Navigating Grief During the Holidays

Grief can hit at both unexpected times and during expected ones. Certain smells and sounds, songs and scenes can trigger memories and cause you to feel the weight of grief. But the holidays are a time when you can expect grief to bear down. 

Whether it’s a loss of a loved one, the loss of a place once called home, the loss of a job, or the loss of dreams and desires, the holidays often are a time when grief feels heavy. We want to welcome grief and not stuff it down.

So how do we embrace the tension of joy and grief? How do we walk through the most wonderful time of the year when it doesn’t feel so wonderful? 

Here are a few ways to journey with grief this holiday season:

1. Look at your schedule and create margin to be still and feel your feelings.

2. Be willing to step away during gatherings or say no to attending gatherings if you need.

3. Ask for help from those that care for you in ways that will serve you.

4. Do something to honor the grief - light a candle, cook your loved one's favorite dish, talk about memories with others, write in a journal.

5. Take a walk to breathe deeply, move your body, and look at nature.

6. Do something that brings you joy.

7. Create a safe space to process your thoughts and emotions.

During this holiday season, remember that when the waves of grief come, you are not alone. It is good and normal and necessary to experience grief. Your holiday experience might be different than those around you or those you see on social media, and that is okay. You are not less than. Your emotions are valid. Your grief is a beautiful part of your story.