Grief and loss take on many forms.
It can appear when you least expect it, such as when you finally think you’ve processed what has happened. At other times, it may feel heavy, like a crushing weight you can’t quite crawl out from under.
In fact, processing grief can take significant time and various rituals. Some even say we don’t actually process grief but merely get used to it. However, we can practice ways to let go and accept our emotions.
Whether you’ve lost a loved one or are facing the end of a relationship, the hurt exists.
It’s real. And for some time, we may feel as though we need to hold onto it for fear of more loss and hurt. So, when you’re ready to let go and move forward, use the following ways to release sorrow and grief, making room for new and happier emotions to enter your life once again.
7 Practical Ways to Help You Release Sorrow and Grief
1. Write a Letter.
This could be to your ex or to the one who is gone.
This can offer a safe and private space to pour out your emotions. Take your time. Write anything that comes to mind, whether that includes regrets or the unknown of how to move forward without them.
You can even use this space to write what you appreciated about them being in your life, leaning into a bit of positivity if it feels right.
2. Bury It (Literally, Not Figuratively).
Okay, this may feel a little “woo-woo.” Yet, this practice offers a symbolic way to let go.
- Grab an item or your letter.
- Find a place amongst nature.
- Now, dig a small but shallow hole in the ground.
- Place your item or letter (just make sure it’s environmentally friendly) in the hole.
Here, you can choose to say a few words, such as, “I’ve carried this weight for too long and am ready to let it go. I’m ready to allow Mother Nature to use this energy for growth.”
Then, either burn the item (if this is allowed and safe!). Or bury it.
3. Give Yourself Permission to Feel.
Many of us try to fight our emotions, especially when they are negative.
- But what if this time, you gave yourself permission to feel it?
- What if you allowed yourself to cry until you couldn’t anymore?
Surprisingly, this can be very cathartic, offering some release and some reprieve from the heavy weight of loss and grief you might be feeling.
Providing yourself with some compassion and letting yourself feel the emotions so you can heal them may offer you a path forward and a way to move on.
Related Article: 5 Helpful Ways to Cope With The Loss of Your Loved One During The Holidays
4. Be Patient.
Time is your friend here.
While we can’t change the past, we can learn that as time goes on we may feel better and that practicing patience with ourselves is the best way to go. Pain can be healthy. And healthy pain means allowing the emotions to come up as time goes on and not suppressing them.
Related Article: Tips For Getting Over An Ended Relationship
5. Say Goodbye.
Whether you had a chance or not, maybe closure wasn’t there.
Or perhaps the time didn’t allow for a proper farewell. Or maybe you just wanted more time; so much was left unsaid.
While funerals offer a public place to say goodbye, you can also do it in your own time. Writing a letter, as per the above, can be very healing. Additionally, just spending time talking to the person from your heart when you’re alone can be very healing.
Imagine them standing in front of you.
- What would you say?
- What are you wanting them to know?
- What would make you feel even slightly better being able to express to them?
While you do this, you may want to light a candle or incense, making it a more formal and personal farewell.
6. Create a Memory Box.
This provides somewhere you can go when you’re really missing your loved one.
A memory box might include a simple shoebox filled with small items that are sentimental to you or remind you of them. This can help you feel closer to them when you’re struggling. It can provide space for you to talk with them still, even though they aren’t there.
7. Plant Something in Their Honor.
Seriously! Where there has been loss, give life.
This might mean planting a new tree or annual plant to signify the circle of life and honor the one lost. It can also provide a place where you can visit and think about your memories together.
Know That Grief is Okay to Feel
It’s a completely natural response to loss, whether that loss was by choice or not.
The truth is, grief can feel overwhelming, making us want to push it away. However, this often only makes it more pronounced, echoing in other parts of our lives or actions. Instead, feeling our way through is the best way to heal and feel like ourselves again.
Jamie Anderson described grief beautifully, “Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in the hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”
Read Next: Grief vs. Mourning: What They Are & How to Find Power Through Both
Editor’s note: This article was originally published May 26, 2023 and has been updated to improve reader experience.
Photo By: Kaboompics.com
