Grief - From an FB post

 Grief is like this:

There's a box with a ball in it, and a pain button.

In the beginning, the ball is huge. You can't move the box without the ball hitting the pain button. It rattles around on its own in there and hits the button over and over. You can't control it - it just keeps hurting. Sometimes it seems unrelenting. 

Overtime, the ball gets smaller. It hits the button less and less but when it does, it hurts just as much. It's better because you can function day to day more easily. But the downside is that the ball randomly hits the button when you least expect it. 

For most people, the ball never really goes away. It might hit less and less and you have more time to recover between hits, unlike when the ball was still giant. 

Think, how big is the ball today, and how you can make it smaller?

It's inevitable for most, especially caused by the loss - mainly because of a loved one but also because of loss of health, job, financial stability, friendship, safety after trauma, cherished dream, pet. It can also be caused by retirement, miscarriage, selling the family home. 

1. Remember and celebrate the life of the loved one
2. Acknowledge your feeling
3. Take Care of yourself
4. Maintain a healthy diet
5. Get moving
6. Understand that grief is unpredictable
7. Be patient with yourself
8. Reach out to others dealing with loss
9. Seek out support
10. Accept your new reality

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to loss—and the more significant the loss, the more intense your grief will be.