As the holidays come to an end, the new year may bring mixed emotions. Stepping into another year without your loved one can feel daunting. However, it also offers a chance to reflect, honor your journey, and begin to envision a hopeful future.
Reflect on Your Journey
Take pride in the strength and courage you’ve shown in these tender moments navigating the delicate balance between grief and celebration. Acknowledge your resilience and the steps you’ve taken, no matter how small.
Set Gentle Intentions
Instead of resolutions, consider intentions like:
- “I will be kind to myself on hard days.”
- Make an effort to stay in touch with friends who understand
- Keep going doing the different modes of therapy and healing
- Don’t be afraid to keep talking about your loved one on how much you miss him/her. This was very important to me.
- Try journaling, even if it’s just writing one word a day. You will be surprised how these words will evolve over time.
- Say “I will honor my loved one by living fully.” Believe it! Remember, you carry that person and their love with you on this journey, because they lived.
Carry Their Legacy Forward
Incorporate their values into your life, whether by volunteering, dedicating achievements to their memory, or sharing their stories.
Seek Support When Needed
If the new year feels particularly hard, “lean on and lean in” to trusted friends, support groups, or professional guidance.
Embrace the Possibility of Hope
Hope doesn’t mean forgetting your grief. It means believing in the possibility of joy, love, and meaning again. Hope can begin when the mind begins to see a future. One of my Peer Facilitators said this. “I can’t change what happened, but I can choose which new paths I will follow and in which direction I will move. I now move forward filled with hope, love, and enthusiasm for life.”
Give yourself the GIFT OF HOPE!
I hope this series Coping with the Holidays has been helpful and provided some comfort and guidance to you, a family member or a friend.
