How to Cope with Grief: Tips to Find Hope and Healing

-bd
  1. Deborah Boykin says:

    What a beautifully written blog from your heart today. Thank you for sharing your navigational process with your readers.

  2. Monique says:

    Thank you Beth. This was a heartfelt post. Another suggestion would be a post on the right things to say and do and more importantly, what we shouldn’t say or do when a friend or family member, loses their loved one. We all want to help and sometimes inadvertently do the wrong thing.

  3. Pieranna Rampado says:

    I am so happy I found you on Facebook/Instagram. I relate to you in so many ways. I, too, lost my husband seven years ago. I followed those very same steps to deal with grief and did so without really thinking of it. When you have been with someone for so many years (34 for us) and had so many plans for the future and suddenly those plans change because now you are alone, it is very difficult. You now have to figure out how what your life is going to look like without the one person you had planned on being with for the rest of your life. Not to mention that when you are part of the “couples” world and suddenly you are not, that I found the most difficult. Our group of couple friends suddenly disappeared (except for some). One day at a time is the best advice. Haven’t quite reached that point of traveling alone but I am traveling. So fortunate to have my children that like to spend time with me and have invited me to travel with them. Now I have found friends to travel with. Like you said, my husband will always live in my heart and I feel like I take him with me everywhere I go. Anyway, thank you and I will continue to
    enjoy your posts.

  4. Donna says:

    Thank you so much for sharing about loosing your husband. It was thoughtful and informative. I am still learning how to live as one. I did love jar illustration. Thank you again!

  5. Susan Kolofer says:

    Beth. This was the best post. There is so little really helpful info on grief. Lost my husband 7 years ago and I went through all you wrote about. I’m now happily remarried and have a great life but still have my moments.

  6. Karen says:

    A beautiful post. As you say grief is an intensly personal thing but I find the jar analogy very useful. Tomorrow is the anniversary of my mother’s passing and the sadness is still there but there is also the joy of having known her

  7. WENDY T. says:

    Many thanks for your wise words and advice for moving through grief. Your road map has really helped me, and will give guidance to many. I so appreciate your sharing your experience, and the lovely photos of you and Mr. Style. You were so fortunate to have shared his love for so many years.

  8. Glynis Jamora says:

    Thank you so much for this post. You have touched my heart.

  9. Thank you for all You’re a wonderful tips about how to deal with grief. I Applaud you and feel your pain and triumphs . As a woman who lost her husband and soul mate of 30 years 10 years ago, may I add one more tip. Reach out to God. He is always there waiting for you with his hands out stretched. God bless you.

  10. Amy Devonshire says:

    Beth your blog brings me such joy and todays post is especially meaningful. I did not lose a spouse but in the past decade lost both my parents, my mother had dementia and was in a nursing home the last year of her life which was devastating. I have also dealt with 4 cancer diagnosis most recently stage 4 lung cancer (never smoked either) but have been on targeted therapy for 1.5 years now. I wake up daily and realize how special each day is. The grief from losing both parents and my life as I have known it is overwhelming some days but like you said, leaning on others, moving forward and realizing a long life isn’t
    promised makes me love an appreciate everything around me even more! Thank you for bringing happiness to each day with your blog and thank you for your words today. It means a lot! Wishing you happiness in your ongoing journey.

  11. Annie L. says:

    Good morning, Beth,

    WOW! What a fabulous post this morning! Beautiful, beyond words. Rest in peace, Mr. Style. ❤️

  12. Holly says:

    Thank you for your heartfelt blog post today.
    We recently lost our grown son and I’m coping one day at a time- sometimes one hour at a time. I’ll reread this post often to remind me of your comforting, yet practical advice on how to ‘grow around my grief.’ Blessings to you.

  13. Jody Donaldson says:

    Hello Beth, I am 64 years old and have followed you for years. Yesterday was the first anniversary of my husband’s passing. It has been a year of “firsts”…The first Sunday after his death was Father’s Day, followed one week later by our 34th wedding anniversary. Your advice and observations are spot on. Sometimes my memories bring tears, other times I laugh recalling humorous events or his sharp wit and love of puns. The grief does not change, you never stop missing the person who was such an integral part of your life, but rather you change in how you live with your grief. In the beginning I could hardly function and it was overwhelming just to load my dishwasher. Day by day, I began to find my way, doing things I thought I was not capable of or had never done before. Shortly after my husband’s death, my dishwasher malfunctioned causing a flood in my newly remodeled kitchen and dining room. At first, the situation froze me in my tracks. Thankfully my insurance company had my back and got me back on my feet immediately. Within hours my home was filled with members of a disaster team who removed carpet and drywall and installed large dehumidifiers and fans to dry everything properly. I surprised myself by settling the insurance claim, hiring a contractor to rebuild the damaged areas and made the selection of materials and finishes to complete the project. I did it! I made through! In November, after my rebuild was complete, I took a cruise! I showed myself grace and took the time to refresh my spirit/soul, doing something just for me. I miss my lover, my best friend, my anchor – that will never change but I now know I am a strong intelligent person and I can stand on my own two feet. Grief has undeniably changed who I am and how I react to things now. Thank you for sharing your journey with your readers.

  14. RORY says:

    Thank you for your inspiring words today. Thanks for your sharing. I have many friends now that are alone and my heart goes out to all of you. I’m so sad for you for your loss. Take care my blog friend.

  15. Rhoda Clark says:

    Dearest Beth, your blog today is so important. I lost my soulmate six years ago and boy, everything you have written, I experienced.
    I still have those days when putting one foot in front of the other seems so difficult. But as you have advised, I am building a newer life without him physically with me. Yet, I feel him beside me on occasion and it is always a sense of warmth and well being.
    I pray that everyone who follows your blog receives what they need in their journey of loss and life.
    This Club is not one I would recommend, but as you said, as we age, it is inevitable.

  16. Rhonda says:

    When I read your blog, I often think of Mr. Style and wonder how you’re doing. Your helpful shared tips today indicate much growth and healing, although I know there will always be an empty place in your heart. I love the pictures of the two of you–they show the beauty and depth of your relationship, your oneness. I’ve always appreciated that about the two of you.

  17. Mary Grogan says:

    What a beautiful commentary on grief. Thank you for sharing.

  18. Mary Grogan says:

    Thank you for sharing this.

  19. Michelle Hamric says:

    Thank you so much for this beautifully written message on dealing with grief. In 1993 my sister died from breast cancer. I was totally blown away. I tried and tried to find information on the stages of grief and how to navigate through my grief. Unfortunately, there was nothing out there. I did finally find a group for those grieving the loss of a loved one. It helped, but it would have been nice to have more available. Please know that your words will definitely help someone today or in the near future.

  20. Lindsey says:

    Oh Beth you’ve brought a tear to my eye. I remember so clearly when you posted the “I hate cancer” article and then again when you shared that he’d passed. It’s hard to believe it has been 4 years ago. I imagine in some ways it just feels like yesterday, and yet, that some days, weeks, months must have felt so long that it also seems like 10 years ago.

    I will say (as a human, and also as someone with a masters in counseling psychology) that your grace, honesty, and compassion for yourself and others is a true asset. Such wonderful advice here.

    Wishing for continued strength and growth for you and everyone else experiencing grief. I lost my mam in October 2021, and my dad has such advanced dementia that basically it’s only his body that remains of him, and I miss the two of them dearly. But they live on in us, and in others too, and by talking about them, living by their and our values, they can be and still are with us, just in a different way.

  21. Doris Mitchell says:

    Beth, thank you for this beautiful message. It’s something everyone needs at some point in their life.

  22. Becky says:

    Thank you for sharing your journey. I am just shy of six months into my journey. I was a caregiver for more than two years for my husband, & there was much anticipatory grief as I watched him decline. There was also a loss of my identity as it so closely tied to being a caregiver. Though I had been warned about getting caught up in busyness to replace the caregiving, I suddenly found myself doing just that. Instead of moving forward, I was charging forward. I have now made a conscious decision to pause & reflect this summer. I am not in a race to get everything finished by this or that date. Some might say this is a step backward, but I believe it is an opportunity to really concentrate on what my new life will look like.

  23. Mary says:

    Thank you for sharing your heart. I have not lost my spouse but friends have and the older I get I know it is inevitable.

  24. Carol says:

    4 years for me also. You seem much stronger as I am.The tips were so important for me to hear. Many great ideas and reminders of how to navigate my new life. Thank you for this, it has been helpful, more then you know.

  25. Nancy says:

    Thank you.

  26. Janine Smoker says:

    Beautiful post today Beth. I loved the wonderful pictures that you included. Although I still have my wonderful husband, our family has experienced some significant losses the past several years, so reading your advice still hits home for me.

  27. Laura T. says:

    Thank you so much for this post, which couldn’t be more timely. I was widowed two weeks ago, and am still in the “overwhelmed” stage. I can already tell that getting through this will be a one-foot-in-front-of-the-other, one-day-at-a-time process, and I’ll miss my husband forever. But it’s good to know that someday, if I put in the work, life can be good again.

make a comment