In this episode of The Widow Podcast I discuss three important factors to guide you on your grief journey. These factors haven’t been scientifically proven, they’re just from my own experience and from the experience of the people I help in one to one sessions, and in groups.

In my experience, the three most important factors are:

Rely on your support system, don’t say no to help. It’s important to remember that accepting help isn’t weakness, it doesn’t make you a burden or a bad person. People WANT to help, they want to be there for you, so let them in.

Change the narrative. Don’t let your loss define you. Don’t let it impact you negatively for the rest of your life. I had a burning desire to not become a victim, to believe life could be good again. I had no idea how to do it, or even if I fully believed it, but it was a belief and a desire within me, and it can be within you too. 

And finally, have an open heart and an open mind. Your life isn’t over, even if in that moment and moments to come it feels like it is. It hurts, and it’ll carry on hurting, but don’t close yourself off to new opportunities. Instead of saying no, never, say not right now, maybe in the future, maybe soon. Allow yourself to be open to the possibility of a happy future.