“That discomfort you’re feeling is grief.” - Scott Berinato (Harvard Business Review)
Whenever we experience major life changes or loss of any kind, our bodies & minds go through a grieving process, whether we realize it or not. Usually our bodies give us signals before our brains begin to grasp this realization.
Grief can look like: feeling “lazy” or unproductive, fatigue, irritability, anger, anxiety, loss of creativity, restlessness, loneliness, etc.
There are many different types of grief & what we are experiencing now is collective grief, with each of us individually dealing with other types of grief layered on top of that.
Life as we know it has changed, globally, & it will likely never be the same.
At the same time, there are beautiful aspects. Reconnection even through distance, spreading hope through music & song, laughter through FaceTime calls, memes that express our frustration with humor...the list is endless.
Grief & joy can & do coexist.
You can grieve & simultaneously laugh, enjoy sleeping in & downtime, binge-watch a show, enjoy comfort food, & be happy that you don’t necessarily have to get ready every single day.
On the other side of the coin, you do not have to: write a book, create a museum-worthy art piece, solve the world’s problems, be available for everyone, thoroughly clean your house, make a hit single, etc.
Do all these things if you’d like, but know that your body & mind might just require rest & relaxation to process first. & if you don’t get around to being “productive” at all, that is 100% ok. We are experiencing something today that no other generation has. You will (& are aloud to) feel all things, all at once.
Going through the grieving process does not guarantee that life will magically work out in your favor, but what it does do is release static emotions providing the necessary clarity & healing to move forward & thrive.
David Kessler, a leading grief expert, says, “emotions need motion” & I love that. I can never stress the importance of releasing emotion enough. Some of my favorite ways are: laughing, crying, dancing, stretching, writing, working out, reading the Psalms, & salt baths. Throw in eating nourishing comfort foods, FaceTiming/group texting family & friends, & curling up with my cat Miko to watch hours of a show & there you have my grieving process.
Our grieving processes will each look different & I encourage you to lean into yours.
“Because you are close to me & always available, my confidence will never be shaken, for I experience your wrap-around presence every moment. My heart & soul explode with joy! Even my body will rest confident & secure. For you bring me a continual revelation of resurrection life, the path to the bliss that brings me face-to-face with you." - Psalm 16:8-11
Peace,
Lo
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