This week we are going to take a look at how you have been doing responding and attending to your Grief Activators.

I am amazed at the amount of insight you have gleaned over our time together. I imagine you have found some tools have proven to be so much more impactful for you than others. 

GREAT!  

I say, "keep on with what works for you and leave what doesn't at the door." 

I find this first year of grief is almost all trial and error, which can be all sorts of uncomfortable.

We try all sorts of things that we've done in the past. We try things that we learn. Because you are exploring a new way of living, you may find this year to be clumsy. This is to be expected. Just like any new, it can take a few times to become more comfortable or more confident. 

Sometimes taking a breath to regain your self compassion and patience can be extremely beneficial. You are still present, you are still trying, you are still growing in your grief. I am so encouraged by your commitment to yourself.

If you haven't already started to experience anniversary reactions, we are approached that time within the first year of bereavement when they start to come forward more often. Anniversary reactions... It's those flood of tough emotions surrounding an important time, appointment, or change or challenge with your Love One. Anniversary reactions come more frequently as you get closer to your Loved One's anniversary of their death.

Anniversary reactions are different than the other grief activators that you have been addressing in your everyday life. Anniversary reactions can feel emotionally raw in part because this is the FIRST TIME experiencing the anniversary.

This may seem obvious but it's worth mentioning... Anniversary reactions only happen ONCE A YEAR for a particular event, day or experience. What that means for you in the future is that... you only experience your and your Loved One's birthday once in a year. So, the next year, you would have only experienced that grief for the second time and so on. We'll be examining anniversary reactions and preparing for the anniversary of death in the upcoming weeks.

This week we are going to take some inventory of what DOES and DOES NOT help you with responding to your personal Grief Activators in order to prepare for your Anniversary Reactions. This will give you some further understanding of what does work for you to help manage anticipation, tough feelings and make a plan for possible anniversary reactions.

The more you know your tool kit, the better it will serve you.

​Print the handout and think about what YOU would like to take along with you and what you recognize just wasn't a fit for you.

Take a few minutes to reflect or journal:

3 Tools that HELP YOU and 1 Tool that DOES NOT WORK for you.

As always, remember to click the Complete and Continue button.