There is power in the pause. We feel the power of the pause in music, in a well crafted speech, and in life when we are able to slow down, take a breath and show up in the space the pause creates.

The thought hit me right after Vicky died, “I have no idea what I’m doing!” What did I do next? Beside feel overwhelmed and lost, it occurred to me, “I need to go to school. I need to learn how to get through what I’m going through.”

This Sunday, May 14, 2023 marks the third anniversary of Vicky’s death. I want to look back and reflect on how my grief journey with you from two perspectives: The week Vicky died and now three years later.

How we think about our past traumas can make or break our lives. Consider the thoughts of some trauma experts on how to reframe our past that will help create a better future.

Grief is a regular part of the human experience and needs time and space to be expressed, felt and experienced. If you or someone you care about is reeling because of the disruption caused by a loss, consider a few practices that will help you grieve well and eventually find the healing you hope is possible.

How you think about and respond to a broken heart can make a big difference. According to grief counselor Alan Wolfelt, the word he would use to describe the healing process is reconciliation as opposed to other words like recover or resolve.

When I read a letter written by Seneca the Stoic philosopher to a grieving friend, it was advice I heard at exactly the right time while I was grieving. I took the advice to heart and adjusted my grief journey accordingly.

“If you stand still long enough, you'll get stuck.” That’s true in life and it’s true when grieving. What do you do to keep yourself moving through your grief and not getting stuck?

We need to learn how to reframe what is often seen as bad and unwelcome. Without suffering and pain in our lives, we remain soft, untested, and weak in character.

Journaling helps you slow down and create space to put down on paper your thoughts, feelings, wonderings, questions, and heart felt longings.

Hope can be experienced as we take small steps in a forward direction. Here are five stepping stones that will help live forward with hope.

Hope helps you face uncertainty, get through what you’re going through, and gives you handles to hold on to when the ones you had have given way. Here are three vital elements to have true hope.

Gratitude has powerful healing ingredients that will help us on our grieving journey. Even the smallest and observable reason for gratitude can make a lasting difference.

Sadness after a loss needs to be treated as a friend not as an unwelcome guest. There are several reasons for that I will share in this article.

Being kind to yourself while grieving and navigating adversity includes the ability to take periodic breaks and looking after those basic needs that get neglected.

There was some great advice I heard early on in my grief journey. It was simple yet challenging to practice but when I did, it made a noticeable difference.

When our circumstances are unwanted, how we respond to them can make a powerful difference. What are you facing or have you faced that is testing your ability to choose well?

There is a kind of grief that makes for a much healthier grief journey. It’s called good grief. This post will help give some insight into what exactly good grief is.

Loss results in a number of different reactions. For many people, they are surprised at how all alone they can feel in their grief. You are not alone.

At this time of year, it might be helpful to find some new words and ways to think about your grief. Your grief is too important to ignore.