The Grief Girlie's top self-care tips for navigating the New Year
Grief is always tricky, but it can be especially tough to navigate when coming off the holidays and entering the new year. I'm sure you've seen everyone you know post about how great their 2023 was and all their resolutions for 2024. If you're anything like me, you're just glad you made it through the holidays and don't have much left for resolutions. In fact, a new year can feel really sad for grievers. In the early days of my grief, I can remember wanting time to stand still for a moment! A new year felt so daunting to me. While I don't have any tips for stopping time, I can help you out with some actionable self-care ideas you can implement today! If you'd like to learn more about my story, check it out here or follow me on Instagram at The Grief Girlie.
Take the pressure off.
Firstly, it's important to slow down and take it easy after the holidays. The holiday season can be stressful enough, and adding the pain and sadness of grief on top of that can be exhausting. Even if everything went okay during the holidays, grieving a loss is a heavy emotional burden. It's like running a marathon; now it's time to rest and recover. For me, this means acknowledging my efforts and giving myself permission to sleep in a little longer or order takeout for dinner. January isn't the time to start 5 AM workouts or completely change our diets. It's better to do what is easy and comforting. You don't need to worry about what others think because taking the pressure off will make you feel better.
Use rituals to honor your grief.
Even though the holidays are hard when we are grieving, there are many opportunities to remember our loved ones. I have many of my mom's Christmas decorations, and I love going through that box and thinking about her as I decorate. Maybe you made a family recipe, carried on a tradition, or hung the stocking of a loved one who has died. These special little moments make us feel closer to our loved ones. But once the holidays are over, it can feel like we boxed up our grief and put it away. It stinks! I want to remember my parents and sister all year long, so I created small rituals that allow me to check in with my grief more often. There are several ways to do this; some simple ways I use rituals are lighting a candle for a family member, wearing their jewelry or using their things, or connecting with food or recipes that remind them of them. It's a simple yet powerful way to continue my bond with my family and incorporate them into my new normal.
Get to know your new normal.
Speaking of the new normal, navigating grief is all about growing around our loss. Grief work isn't about "getting over it" or "moving on." It's about creating a life you feel excited about while honoring your grief. For me, this meant understanding that I'm different and what I care about has shifted on this side of grief. I had to ask myself, "What matters to me now?" Getting to know our new normal can be tricky; it's not something we should navigate alone. I worked with a grief therapist to help me better understand how my losses have shaped me and how to arrange my life in accordance. It's so empowering to find meaning and purpose in life after loss. You deserve healing and a life full of meaning and purpose. If you need help figuring out where to start, that's okay! You can reach out to me, The Grief Girlie, and we can navigate this journey together. However you invest in your self-care this year, and I know it will be worth it!
