How to thrive through grief
If you've read any of my articles, you'd know that I've had my share of grief. I lost my father to cancer at 18, and my mother to the same disease at 24. I've previously written an article about coping with loss in the immediate aftermath of a death. But now that I've had some distance from both losses, I'd like to share some tips that aren't about coping, but thriving.
Let grief give you perspective
The biggest skill I've gained from grief is perspective. Whenever I find myself overthinking – I could be feeling stressed at work or just overwhelmed by life in general – my go-to is to take a step back and remember the bigger picture. I reflect on everything I've been through and the losses I've endured. This strategy is effective because it reminds me that ultimately, the health and presence of my nearest and dearest is the most important thing in the world. If the problem you're currently facing has nothing to do with death or health, then this technique can help you zoom out and approach things with a clearer mind. Remember: death and health - nothing else is worth it.
Turn grief into grateful
I truly believe that being grateful is the antithesis to grief. Condition yourself to be grateful every single day. Be grateful for the time you did spend with the ones you lost, be grateful for the time you still have with your loved ones (even if it's just one), and be grateful that you're still around to experience these emotions. If you learn to list the things that you are grateful for on a daily basis, you begin to anchor yourself in the present. This is a powerful technique that keeps anxiety at bay and does wonders for your mental health.
Think of grief as a positive thing
A few months ago, a character in the much-hyped Marvel series WandaVision uttered a phrase that cut right through my soul: "What is grief, if not love persevering?". I found the line to be incredibly profound and affecting. We often look at grief as a bad thing - as something we must endlessly avoid and distract ourselves from. But what if grief is a positive thing? What if it's a reminder that the love you hold for those who have passed is still very much alive? It's such a gamechanging and uplifting perspective. So the next time you feel a tsunami of grief coming your way, remember the above line. Remember that keeping the ones you love alive in your mind long after they're physically gone is a good thing that should not be feared. Grief just means the love never dies.
Read more by Nadim:
- Everyone has anxiety, they just don't talk about it
- It's tough being Lebanese
- 4 apps I can't live without
Frontend Developer | Building Custom E-commerce Websites for Clothing Stores | React.
3 年Hi Nadim Safieddine. Sorry for your loss. This is the first time I'm reading your newsletters and I liked the Wanda vision analogy. Thanks for sharing valuable grief lessons.
Expanding Companies to UAE & KSA | Director of Expansion at AstroLabs | Helping businesses set up and scale in the MENA region
3 年Fantastic insights Nadim, thankyou!
Public Health | Research Scientist | Health Behavior | Clinical research
3 年PR & Strategic Communications | Podcasting | Startups
3 年I think that one thing that would have helped me to grieve better was to speak about it. When a loss first happens, all you do is think about it. But rather than talk about it, I kept it to myself until it took a real toll on me. Once I started processing and speaking about it, things became easier.