Working with Holiday Grief
Holidays are meant to be a time of festivities and joy. Families and friends can come together and connect to offer up feelings of love and sentimentality through traditions. Still, for an individual who has recently lost someone or is going through holiday grief, it can be a challenging experience to try to navigate.
After the cremation services in Sterling Heights, MI, and the loved one is laid to rest, the feelings of loss can begin to arise and have to be processed. This may be no different when holidays come around because the individual is no longer there to help with the celebration, so here are some ways to help navigate this time.
Setting Boundaries
If you or someone you know is going through grief, it can be vital to learn to set boundaries with others. This is particularly true for individuals wanting you to attend functions or to follow through with traditions that the deceased may have always done. It can be highly beneficial to learn to say no or to regulate the amount of time spent with the scheduled function.
Taking Care
One of the biggest things to be mindful of is that grief is a painful experience to have to go through, and it’s that much more important to make sure that you or the loved one are taking time for self-care.
The grief has no set schedule on how long it will take to get processed, and each person will have a different experience. Making time to heal and giving the needed space for healing can be a vital part of the process while at the same time practicing compassion and patience with the stages of grief.
Changing Things Up
In some cases, your family may have a typical tradition done every year with the deceased. You may consider beginning to change how you decide to fulfill the tradition to make it more streamlined to how your life is now. This might look like adding in a new recipe or deciding to take a vacation instead of staying home. No matter what you feel is an inappropriate alternative, be mindful that emotions can arise from this adjustment and change, so practice patience with the process.
Other Considerations
The fact is that losing someone is a painful experience and learning to hold space for the emotions and the transitions can be one of the most complex parts of the healing process. The holidays can be a great way to connect with family and find a sense of connection.
Quality you Can Trust
Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Directors have been in business since 1906 and take pride in our dedication to offering our customers the highest quality compassionate care on the market. We specialize in multiple options from cremation Services in Sterling Heights, MI, to grief and counseling support and would love to help you create an event that truly honors your loved one, so give us a call today, and we will help you get started.
