8 Activities That Will Help You Come to Terms with Your Grief

Grieving is like carrying an invisible backpack filled with bricks – it’s heavy, it’s exhausting, and no one else can see it. But as with any weighty journey, there are ways to lighten the load, even just a bit. Here are some activities that can help you navigate the choppy waters of grief with a few well-placed oars.

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1. Creating a Memorial: Tribute in Trinkets

Let’s start with a classic: creating a memorial (see https://www.hiltonfuneralsupply.com for some great ideas). This can be as simple or as grand as you like. Plant a tree, name a star, or dedicate a corner of your room to your loved one. Fill it with photos, their favorite books, or that hideous vase they always loved (and you always hated). It’s a physical space to remember, reflect, and maybe chat with them about your day. Who cares if the vase clashes with your decor?

2. Journaling: Your Pen, Your Therapist

Writing can be incredibly therapeutic. Start a journal dedicated to your thoughts, feelings, and memories. It’s like having a therapist who doesn’t charge by the hour and never interrupts you. Pour your heart out, scribble, draw, or simply write, “Today sucked,” over and over. It’s your space – no rules apply.

3. Exercise: Sweat Out the Sadness

Okay, hear me out. Exercise. Yes, it’s the last thing you feel like doing, but moving your body releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones that can act as natural painkillers. Go for a walk, punch a boxing bag imagining it’s grief’s face, or dance around your living room. If neighbors stare, just wave. They should be used to your quirks by now. 

4. Cook Their Favorite Meal: A Recipe of Remembrance

Cook their favorite meal. Yes, it might end in a teary, flour-covered disaster, but that’s okay. It’s about connection, memories, and maybe realizing you never did find out how they got that sauce so darn perfect. It’s a culinary hug.

5. Volunteering: Helping Others to Help Yourself

Sometimes helping others can bring a sense of peace. Volunteer at a cause they cared about, or try something entirely new. It’s about stepping outside your bubble of grief, even if it’s just for a moment. 

6. Art Therapy: Unleash Your Inner Klimt

You don’t have to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. Draw, paint, make a collage – it’s about expressing what you can’t put into words. And if your art looks like a toddler’s masterpiece, so what? It’s the process, not the product, that matters.

7. Join a Support Group: Shared Sorrow, Halved

Sometimes talking to strangers is easier than talking to friends. Join a support group where you can share your story, listen to others, and realize you’re not alone in your boat of grief. It’s a safe space to unload some of those bricks.

8. Gardening: Grow Life as You Process Death

Gardening can be surprisingly soothing. Plant something – flowers, veggies, a chaotic mix of both. There’s something about getting your hands dirty and watching life grow that can be grounding and life-affirming.

In the end, dealing with grief is a deeply personal journey, and there’s no right or wrong way to navigate it. It’s about finding what works for you, whether that’s screaming into a pillow, running a marathon, or eating ice cream straight from the tub (we’ve all been there). Remember, it’s okay to not be okay. Take it one day, one activity, one brick at a time.