If you need inspiration to beat that feeling of depression then here is some recent research to help move you through the grief cycle. You all know that I believe we as widows or widowers need to go through the grief cycle but often it can be easy to become stuck..just not believing that you can cope with life on your own. This research shows how important it is that we keep moving through that grief cycle, working honestly with our feelings to move to a happier place.
“Strong feelings of grief are normal and healthy after the death of …read more

When we suffer loss, we can think about what we now can’t do rather than exploring what we can do. We can explore our negative feelings like loneliness, sadness, grief rather than thinking about what are strengths are and how we can use them to rebuild our lives.
Overcoming grief is not only coming to terms with the negative aspects of our life, it is about coming to terms with the sense that it is OK to be happy again.  
We have shown our strength by coping with the bereavement…we have that strength to rebuild our lives.  
Today I want you …read more

I am in a thoughtful mood today, I don’t know why. In grief you enter so many different stages of bereavement that I now don’t think about it, I just accept it. I have collected a few thoughts on the pain of grief and thought I would share them here in the hope that they will help you today. If you have a quote then please leave them in the comments section as words seem to really help me on those days when loneliness seems to be gripping my body.
Carl Jung “There are as many nights as days, and the …read more

Grief can be crippling and I love to share ways that people have found to come to terms with their loss and also help others. I read this article in the Dallas News about how a grieving mother has turned the pain into a positive journey.
“The Dallas writer, 54, a former reporter for The Dallas Morning News , has learned to cope, but not by letting go of the sadness because that is an inextricable part of her memory. Instead, she has learned to find joy by communing with her son’s spirit through journaling. Teaching others to work   through …read more

I always struggle in January, coming from a place when January is one of the coldest months and darkest days…it seems dark and dismal. The dark nights lead me to shut   myself away from the world early doors and that can lead to sadness or loneliness.
If you are the same it is important that we do keep ourselves from hiding away from the world. It may seem an easy option, it may seem that we want to…but isolating ourselves only leads to depression in my experience. So if you like me are fighting that feeling of loneliness and heartache …read more

One of the readers to this blog – Beth wrote such a lovely comment to the learning from sadness post that I just had to highlight it and share it with you. Here is a snippet that may inspire you today
“……No, grief can be met and conquered. It’s the isolation that is deadly.
My image is the Phoenix, the mythical creature who rises above the ashes of despair.
My life has dramatically changed in the last two plus years. I am in the process of redefining myself in every way.
There is joy in re-creation. There are hidden blessings once you get past …read more

Widows or people who have lost significant others feel an overwhelming degree of sadness. We can often feel bad about our feelings but I have just seen this article in the Daily Mail that says sadness might not be all that bad….they suggest
“It may seem extraordinary to think of sadness as a positive thing, but evolution may be the key – according to some experts, sadness helps us learn from our mistakes. It also invites sympathy and therefore help from others.”
When I sit and think about it, I think I tend to agree….sadness has taught me various lessons

Never to take …read more

I posted the positive thinking carnival yesterday and as I read through the one that made me smile was advice from Rocky. Now I think every day life’s ups and downs are a little easier than losing a loved one but I do love this quote
When you finally grow up, you find that the world will start  hitting you from all directions. Life is not all rainbows and roses.  And if you can’t take it, you start looking for something, or someone (like a long shadow) to blame.  Cowards do that, and you ain’t a coward.
Let me tell you something…. No …read more

The best remedy for mental stress is exercise. Often though you don’t feel like going out or mixing with people. A trick that I found really useful is to either walk or run up your stairs – your very own gym!
When you feel low, then make sure you use the stairs as your exercise – the reason is that mental stress reduces with exercises. It also helps to exhaust your energy and I found that I slept better at night by just doing this exercise. I also put music on whilst I did it – it sounds strange but I honestly felt better afterwards.