Embracing our grief is a journey that lasts a lifetime. Loss is not something to simply ‘get over.’ Instead, it becomes a part of who we are.
Many of us are grieving deeply right now. We are navigating challenging times, a call for us to embrace our humanity more deeply. This journey starts with recognizing our current state and emotions.
Grief is a natural response to loss, whether it be the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or any significant change or transition in our lives. As Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross pointed out, we learn to live with loss, healing and rebuilding ourselves around it. We emerge whole again, yet transformed by the experience. This change isn’t just inevitable; it’s necessary.
But there’s an aspect of grief that’s often overlooked. To truly heal, we give ourselves permission to feel deeply and extensively. Embracing our grief includes mourning not just the losses we’ve experienced but also the life we never had, the love we missed out on, the years that slipped away, and the ways we might have hurt ourselves or others.
Grief is uncomfortable, so many avoid it. These feelings are suppressed, and we disassociate from them, becoming trapped in sorrow. This unresolved grief manifests as depression, stagnation, and a disconnection from emotions and relationships.
Embracing our grief is one of the most challenging emotional paths. But it’s crucial for healing. Without grieving, trauma lingers, affecting our body, mind, and spirit. It keeps us tethered to the past, preventing us from fully living in the present.
Healing begins by embracing the emotions we couldn’t safely process when the trauma occurred. Feeling these emotions is a sign of healing. When we allow ourselves to feel, we connect with our essence, our life force. And by embracing our grief, we are emerging stronger from the ashes and fearlessly speaking our truth.
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”—Elisabeth Kübler-Ross