I saw a meme the other day that said it was okay to mourn your lost job, canceled wedding, trip, baby shower, job, and your old way of life. And it made me reflect on how loss and grief can manifest in so many ways. And although human life is the hardest loss, there is still space for grieving the other ways of loss. And we still deal with the stages of grief. Just know that you are loved and not alone in this. Wondering if you may be grieving? Keep reading to learn about the stages.
Denial
Reality is a hard pill to swallow and to cope we avoid the truth. Our new normal can send a shock to our system. We hold onto hope that the world will change back to normal overnight. Denial is a coping mechanism and a natural step of grief, that allows you to gradually begin to process your situation.
Anger
Have you been a little more snappy and irritable lately? Of course you have, life feels out of your control right now and it’s unnerving. It’s okay to feel anger, but working through it is important, to prevent you from taking it out on others. Anger is just the tip of other emotions you are feeling right now, try breaking them down in a journal or to a professional counselor.
Bargaining
This stage is full of “If only” or “What if”. First, forgive yourself for any decisions or steps you made prior to all of this, you were doing the best you could at that moment. Remaining in the past can cast a bad light on all the hope there is for the future. Remember, you can’t negotiate your way out of the pain.
Depression
You may find yourself feeling distant or in a fog. Depression can mistakenly be seen as weakness, but some form of it after loss is natural. Don’t judge yourself. Reach out to a professional counselor for guidance. Also, check out BetterHelp App or Faithful Counseling app; they offer discounts if you are unemployed.
Acceptance
You can come to terms with your reality. You are more grounded in the now and ready to take steps to move forward. Give yourself grace in all of these steps, it is unrealistic to believe you will ever be 100% okay, all of the time, but now you have a better outlook on the future.
