How to Find Happiness Again After a Loss
Before I share today’s blog post, I want to remind you that my annual Thank You Week Sale ends on Monday. Get all the details here.
With the current worldwide health crisis, we must acknowledge that there are many empty chairs at the dinner table this Thanksgiving.
I’m very fortune not to have lost anyone close to me this year, but my clients have experienced losses with their families, friends, pets, coworkers, and more.
It’s a depressing time, and maybe you’re wondering how you’ll ever feel hopeful about the future again.
Losing someone who was a large part of your life will always be the most surreal and upsetting thing you’ll go through.
The end of a life is always sad, and recognizing that it’s a natural part of life doesn’t lessen the pain.
Finding happiness after losing a loved one can be the hardest part, but there are ways you can find peace in the weeks and months after a death.
Here’s how to find happiness again after a loss.
Cook With Their Recipes
One special way to find happiness and keep the memory of a loved one alive is to use their recipes for your family meals. Maybe your grandma made the best cornbread or your sister had the best Christmas cookie dough recipe.
A familiar family recipe can make all the difference when it comes to keeping that legacy alive.
Making sweet treats for the holidays or a recipe from your home country is a good way to stay connected and feel happier when thinking about your loved one.
Adopt a Pet
This is not something I suggest lightly because animals need plenty of time and attention that you might not be ready for after a death in the family.
But when you’re at a more centered place mentally and emotionally, please consider bringing new life into your home to honor the person you lost.
Adopting a pet from a rescue or charity is the best path because you’re giving a home to an animal that has probably been neglected.
Focusing your energy on looking after a new pet can be a welcomed distraction when you’re mourning.
Celebrate Their Life
One of the most difficult tasks to do after someone dies is planning their funeral and memorial services. Choosing the perfect memorial by Memorials.com can make the decision process easier so you can focus on honoring your loved one.
Use the day to celebrate the good things about their life and the joy they brought into yours instead of dwelling on the fact that they’re gone. You could wear their favorite color, play their favorite songs, and prepare their favorite foods.
If it’s appropriate for your family’s customs, make the funeral more like a party to send them to their final resting place with a joyful memorial.
Remember the Good Times
Losing someone you love is heartbreaking, and getting through those first few weeks will always be a challenge. Sometimes you might not have the strength to get out of bed.
One thing you can do though to make yourself feel better is sit down and remember all of the good, happy times.
Get out your journal and write down those funny memories when they told bad jokes or when you went on vacation together. Thinking about the joy you shared (and preserving the stories) will make you feel happier . . . and possibly able to function normally again.
Share Their Story
Now that you have a journal with those happy memories (see above), a great way to keep their memory alive is to share their story with others.
You could share stories with your kids, friends, family, or even on a blog or in a book.
Being able to share experiences you had with your loved one can help with the healing process.
Connect With Loved Ones
To be truly happy again after you lose someone, it’s important for you to connect with the people you still have in your life.
We all know how easy it is to get caught up with the busy-ness of your day-to-day activities and end up not seeing your family or friends as much as you should.
If you don’t see your loved ones aside from special occasions, then this is something you might want to change to feel happier.
Take the time and make plans to connect with your loved ones in any way possible. Zoom calls definitely count, and even a quick text a few times a week is something.
Live Your Life to the Fullest
This is the most life-coachy thing I’m going to put in this post, but you really owe it to your loved one to live an exceptional life.
Experiencing the death of someone close to you can make you stop and think about the fragility of life. One day you could be here and the next you could be gone, and this can be incredibly upsetting.
When someone dies, give yourself permission to live your own life to the fullest. Take a risk, change your job, go on that trip, complete your whole bucket list.
Living every day with intention not only honors your loved one, but also adds happiness to every aspect of your life.
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