Embracing Your Grief
Grieving is an incredibly painful process. And the hard thing is that there’s no real shortcut to getting past it. In order to get the thing I want most – to feel okay again – I have to fully embrace some extremely not-okay emotions. I can’t move past something until I’ve given myself time to really feel the sadness that my grief provides.
Our bodies are built to protect us from pain. Every instinct in us balks and rebels when something painful comes across our path. And yet, if we run from grief or mourning for too long, it won’t just go away on it’s own. No, instead it will multiply and come back with a vengeance, making itself virtually unavoidable. There are some pains that are good for you. Note: that doesn’t mean they’ll feel good. No, not at all. But some pains are not only helpful, but necessary. Without experiencing any pain, we’ll never be able to move past certain things, and our lives will become stunted as a result.
Have you been running from your pain and grief? My heart hurts with you. I know only all too well how hard it is to realize that you are just plain sad. But I also know that there is healing that comes in embracing your sadness instead of avoiding it. I always find that I feel worlds better after a good bout of sad tears.
Important note: It is extremely vital that you realize the different between embracing grief and allowing grief to rule over you. You do not have to allow your life to become overwhelmed with grief to the point of consumption. Embracing your grief means allowing yourself to feel and not avoiding those sad places. It does not, however, mean that all other facets of my life shut down or that I become enslaved to my emotions. That is a whole separate issue of emotional addiction and I could (and have!) dedicate blogs upon blogs to.
I’m so sorry if you’re feeling sad today. Believe me when I tell you that I feel your pain. But know that by feeling the pain, you will eventually heal and be able to move past it, as well.