Taking The First Step and Moving Forward Through Grief

Grief of All Kinds

Grief can be overpowering, it can even be paralyzing. With grief comes confusion, frustration, exhaustion, fear, anger and a multitude of other emotions. The grief that occurs in our lives comes in varying degrees and from many different situations. Grief appears in all different shapes and sizes. Death of a loved one is not the only event that brings grief into our lives. Divorce, separation, miscarriage, mass disaster and moving away from family and friends can cause grief. Loss of relationships, finances, property, innocence, abilities, security and self-esteem can also result in grief. You can even grieve for things you never had when your aspirations, hopes, and dreams are damaged or destroyed. No matter the cause or the assumed size of the grief, your grief is important. Whatever the reason for the grief, the pain is real and needs to be dealt with.

What’s Next?

When tragedy, trauma or even major disappointment strikes it can bring grief that is so overwhelming that it becomes unclear on how to move forward. What is the next step? Maybe there is no direction or even energy for the next step. Well-meaning people may have told you that “life goes on” and though that may be true, those words rarely provide support in a time of crisis. Hearing those words, the raw truth, actually can be frustrating, even infuriating. As difficult as it is to hear and even harder to believe, life does go on, with or without you. Wrapped in grief, it seems nearly impossible to move forward.

Paralyzed in Grief

After the loss of my dad, I was gripped so tightly in grief, I became paralyzed. Because I was unable to move on, I remained stagnant in my grief and pain, which ultimately lead to depression. I lost eight months of my life that I can never get back. Life continued on around me but I couldn’t join in. I didn’t know how to live life as usual; I didn’t know how to move forward. I don’t think I wanted to move forward and leave my dad behind. I didn’t know how to progress past the overwhelming pain of loss; I just couldn’t find the first step.

Keep Moving

It is my desire that no one ever remains stationary in his or her grief, bewildered on what to do next. Every griever is different and every situation varies but it is so crucial to the griever that he or she takes an initial step that creates momentum. The rate of progression is unpredictable and not nearly as important as the movement itself; just keep moving.

First Step

Often it feels frustrating because there’s nothing you can do to change a painful situation. However, actively working through your grief and dealing with the emotions and issues head-on gives you a sense of control in an uncontrollable world. I pray you receive the energy to take the first step toward wholeness and not waste as much time as I once did.

You Are Not Alone

This website was created to be used as a “first step” in the grieving process. You won’t find all the answers here and you won’t find a quick resolution. However, this site is intended to be a safe place to explore and share options for the grief journey. You are not alone so please feel free to comment and contribute to this site. I encourage grievers to respectfully share and communicate with each other. We are in this together.

A hopeful and bright future awaits you, so be courageous and boldly go!