Coping With Grief During the Pandemic

Love Is Not Canceled

Hope is not canceled.

Coping is not canceled.

Integrity is not canceled.

Learning is not canceled.

Gratitude is not canceled.

Kindness is not canceled.

Laughter is not canceled.

Connection is not canceled.

-Bereaved Parents of the USA

You may be tempted to fall into the fear and uncomfortableness of those around you, but…

Your power comes when you reach for peace in the present moment when coping with grief.

Grief is a common experience today with the pandemic, and even though we typically think of grief as related to death, there are other types of losses, both small and large. Workplaces closed, events canceled, public activities curtailed, travel restricted. Many suffer illness, isolation, loneliness, and great distance from loved ones.

These uncomfortable feelings are grief, and everyone needs guidance, love, and hope in coping with grief and with these unfamiliar losses.

If you are a survivor of sudden loss, you’ve already experienced deep grief. These feelings due to our uncertain times are not new to you. You may be able to serve those who are new to grief with your kindness, acknowledgment of loss, and support.  The idea below is a fun way to lift your spirits and others’ at the same time while coping with grief.

Love and Kindness in Action…

As I went for a walk last night with my husband, we noticed hearts in many people’s windows. I learned it’s part of a movement to spread joy and hope during the coronavirus pandemic.

It all started with a Facebook group created by some teachers in Milton Wisconsin. They call it Happy Heart Hunt. Participants create heart displays to put in their windows for others to see.

It’s now a nationwide movement known as “A World of Hearts” to bring some positivity and joy.

To participate, all you have to do is cut out a heart and put it up in your windows for people to see.

The goal is to have hearts hanging from windows in homes or businesses to bring smiles to people’s faces and to show those who are on the front line that they’re appreciated during this tough time.

Some displays have deeper meaning for the person who made it. That’s the case at Julie Ewing’s Fitchburg, Wisconsin home.

Ewing has hummingbirds and hearts on her front windows. “My father … he passed away in 2013,” Ewing said. “When he was on his death bed, I said we have to make a pact so we have a universal connection. And hummingbirds was our connection.”

It may look like just paint and construction paper, but for the people in this movement, the hearts are about hope. “It helps to feel connected,” said Julie Ewing. “We’re all in this together.”

The Happy Heart Hunt Facebook group now has more than 250,000 members. To learn more about it, click here.

The Sudden Loss Survival Guide… Remember With More Love

When you suddenly lose someone or something important to you, you may not know where to turn for help, what to do next, or how to put back the pieces of your life.

Most survivors of sudden loss have no experience with unexpected heartbreak and are not prepared for the sorrow and significant life challenges they will face.

The Sudden Loss Survival Guide: Seven Essential Practices to Heal Grief offers action-based tools to guide you towards reengaging in life and discovering deeper meaning and purpose.

When you don’t know what to say or do at time of loss, let this book help.

Order Now