Grief is natural. Grieving is a process

Grief is natural and grieving is a process. Grief is a noun. Sometimes I think about the word grief and I feel almost as though the word describes a thing, a place, a state of being.

Grief. I wonder what it would look like if I could visualize it…

You’ve experienced a profound loss. It may be a person, a relationship, a financial situation, or a myriad of other experiences.

When we experience loss when we are faced with a profound change in our status of being. We may well feel as though we are victims. Fair enough. You are now in Grief.

Depending on many factors, we may spend quite a lot of time in that place without much movement at all. This is not unusual and may well be what we need at that time and possibly for a while. That’s alright, it’s where we are when we begin.

At some point, we begin movement. Heal-ing.

It can happen incredibly slowly or more quickly than we might expect.

As we process our thoughts and emotions, we make strides along that path, through grief into healing. We are taking action. Up ahead is a new signpost, it clearly says Survivor.

Griev-ing is a verb. An action word. Safe, healthy, productive grieving is taking place. So very important! As the pain is released, it makes room for healing to happen.

The Victim is now taking action, walking the path, moving forward to that new situation. The Victim is transformed into a Survivor. When I think of a survivor, I easily call to mind the image of someone who has been through something that has changed life as they knew it. They are changed, forever. The person is now a Survivor.

How would it be to deliberately continue to process thoughts, emotions, and all of the aspects of grief? To continue walking that path, through grief into healing? Up ahead there is another signpost you know.

Keep doing the work! Each step you take toward that new signpost is an important gift of self-love that you give to yourself. And you deserve to accept and embrace that gift of love.

Processing the hurt, finding out who you are now. Learning to love yourself in new ways and integrate your experience. Celebrating all that you treasure from your past, appreciating your now, and looking forward with joy to your future.

You are evolving with every step, you are growing, and you are healing.

You are a Thriver! Of course, I want to share the definition of thriver with you.

To grow vigorously; flourish.

To be successful or make steady progress; prosper.

This is you and me as well. We all begin at that same place, regardless of how we got there. Grief. As we do the work, we walk the path, together. We move at whatever pace is right for each of us. But each of us has within ourselves the ability to be a Thriver.