What if I am not ready to move on? It’s ok to not be ok.
If you’re not ready to move forward in your grief, it’s completely normal and important to acknowledge your feelings, allow yourself time to process the loss, and seek support from loved ones or a professional if needed; there’s no set timeline for grief, and pushing yourself to “move on” too quickly can be detrimental.
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Guided Meditation and Breathing
by Bonnie Torrence
Take time to sit grounded in your chair
Feet flat on the ground
Feel your feet in your shoes
Place your hands on your thighs
Sit up straight in your chair
Pay attention to the smells and sensations you are having
Be in the present moment let thoughts just come and go
Do not hold onto intrusive thoughts just let them go
Stay in your present moment
Now begin to pay attention to your breath
Breathe slowly in and out slow your breath down
Just breathe
Begin to deepen your breath and inhale for four seconds hold at the top and exhale for four seconds
Continue to deepen your breath with each inhale and with each exhale
As you breathe pay attention to the breath inhaling and exhaling
Notice how you can control your breath by speeding it up on the inhale for four seconds and the exhale for four seconds as well as slowing the breath down
Pay attention to where your shoulders are relax the shoulders out of your ears
Now begin to just gently breathe normal in and out
Slowly open your eyes and take note of your thoughts
Stay in the here and now
Let the thoughts just flow and not get stuck
Allow yourself to be still and notice how you feel
Repeat this breath exercise as needed to calm the nervous system
Meditation: start with 2-3 mins and increase as needed
Take this time to slow your thoughts and be still
Now take a moment to get quiet and not distracted
Breathe in a grateful thought and focus on the gratitude as you inhale
As you exhale release the negative thoughts and anger
Slow the breath and inhale the gratitude and exhale the negative
As you focus on gratitude imagine what the gratitude feels like in your body
Now take your thoughts to compassion and kindness to yourself
Acknowledge how you feel in your body right now and release the tension
Talk to yourself using kind words you need to hear now
Remind yourself of your value, beauty and resilience
Imagine your beauty, value and resilience that you exhibit in this world
Allow yourself to breathe into your beauty, value and resilience
Recognize your worth, beauty and resilience
Now slowly allow yourself to come back to your breath and open your eyes if closed
Recognize your time just spent focusing on gratitude, self-compassion, your value, beauty and resilience
Planting Something New
Losing a loved one feels like winter settling into the soul—cold, barren, and heavy with silence. It can seem as though nothing will ever grow again in the space they once filled. But grief, though painful, is also a season, and seasons change. In time, the frozen ground begins to thaw, and the possibility of something new emerges. Beginning again after loss is not about replacing what was, but about planting new seeds of meaning, purpose, and connection.
With You Virtual Support Group
The With You Virtual Support Group meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month midday and in the evening via Zoom.
Visit our Grief Page for information on in-person groups and grief events in your local area.
Connecting with others who understand the pain of loss can be incredibly reassuring, helping individuals move forward with a sense of community and support.
