Hope for the Holidays
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Return to Hope for the Holidays6 Tips on Growing Through the Holidays
Continued
4)Move through the grief stages at your own pace; this is not a race!
No one is clocking you in this journey to feeling better and to deal with grief. Remember that you can handle things at your own pace. If you find yourself telling yourself that you "should be over it" by now or that you are "holding on", relax and breathe deeply. Try five deep breaths. With each inhale, say, "This is a process." And, with each exhale, say, "I accept this process!"
5) Find something to rejoice in.
It is curious that often we feel that finding happiness after a loss is somehow a betrayal of the lost one. If you have this idea lurking in the back of your mind, fear not; you are not alone. Such a response is entirely human and expected. This is part of the normal range of emotion. Rejoicing in life is part of life. Find one thing to rejoice over every day this holiday season. It might be the snow, or the lights on the trees, or the project you`re working on, or the reflection in the mirror. Find that thing and rejoice, everyday!
6) Find a way to be of service either through a volunteer group, a network of friends, your place of worship, or any agency or person that might need "something special".
One thing that continually helps oneself is to be of service. I personally have never come home from volunteering, sponsoring or helping someone out and said, "Darn, I sure wish I hadn`t done that!" Being of service ensures that you reach out of yourself and participate in your community, whatever that community might be. For years, my family and I have served food to those who cannot afford it for Christmas. Each time I do this, I know that I have put something good into the world and as my reward I have escaped my own miseries for hours at a time. Especially during the holidays, charities are in need of volunteers. The Red Cross is a good place to start but any community will have a directory of places to help!
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