How Can I Help Myself?

One of the hardest things about grieving is that no one else can do it for you. At times you may wonder whether what you are experiencing is ‘normal'. You might have lots of unanswered questions and you may have many well-meaning friends who tell you that they know how you are feeling and what you should be doing. But because grieving is something you need to do for yourself, the best advice is to take things slowly and pay attention to your inner voice. Listen to your grief. Even though logically, you know your loved one has died, you need time to reconcile what has happened and to work out what is best for you. Unfortunately, at a time when you are likely to be most vulnerable, grieving requires you to become your best advocate by speaking up for what you need.

Grieving is an ongoing process that knows no time limits. Hopefully, one day, you will get to a point where you will be able to say to yourself that you feel as if you have overcome your grief - of the hold, it had on you - while knowing your loved one and the life you shared will never be forgotten.