How to Process Big Feelings
Grief takes many forms, it's not just about death.
Grief shows up in:
The loss of a job from a career path you thought was perfect for you
The end of a friendship when you realize you see the world too differently
Moving across the country when that wasn’t “the plan”
Each experience of loss will feel different and sometimes those grief moments will rise up and surprise you in the most interesting ways.
Grief surprises me all the time. My favorite yoga teacher moved out of state and I haven’t found another class that feels the same way. Those classes had been my place to process emotion and without that regular routine I find myself holding onto tension and stress that I otherwise would have worked through. I experience grief each time I feel the loss of those classes.
“They say that time heals all wounds, but that presumes the source of grief is finite.”
- Cassandra Clare
When I moved across the country 22 years ago so Nathan could go to grad school I experienced epic amounts of grief. I was in a new (big!) city, where I only knew 3 people. I’d just graduated college and was trying to get a job when I wasn’t clear on what it was I wanted to do.
I was trying to find myself in a place that felt chaotic, overwhelming, and new.
I grieved for the routine that school had given me, I had to find a new way to work through my feelings and how to be me.
That’s when my yoga practice took off.
There was a yoga studio a few blocks from our apartment and I went 3 times a week. That was my lifeline, my support system. I connected to my body, I connected to my breath and I felt my anxiety melt away.
I don’t know what I would have done without my yoga practice, probably have a nervous breakdown or something equally life altering. Instead my life was altered in a positive way.
Journaling Prompt: What helps you process grief?
A Few of My Favorite Things
where I share my favorite things that I use in my life and my work that I think you would enjoy too. Some of these links are affiliates and I’ll never recommend anything that I don’t use myself.
This week's favorite thing: Who Gives a Crap (aka the BEST toilet paper)
My Who Gives a Crap TP in my home office. Zoom in to read the hilarity.
Who Gives a Crap makes the best toilet paper!
It’s 100% bamboo (so good for the environment).
It’s 3 ply (so it gets the job done with ease).
Plus they have the best humor! You’ll find jokes on their boxes, website, and the 100% bamboo paper wrappers. They crack me up. There's just something about a company with a good sense of humor that draws me in and keeps me loyal.
I'm a frequent pee-er, so I'm very picky when it comes to my toilet paper. This stuff is the perfect blend of soft and strong, no shredding or beading, it's just right.
I’m a super fan and get a box of TP from them every 3-4 months. They've also got paper towels, facial tissues, and zero waste shampoo, conditioner, and soap.
You’ll save $10 with this link (for new customers to Who Gives a Crap).
I want something different for next year. I’m not one for setting resolutions, I gave up on them years ago, I don’t really see the point of trying to make a change that won’t stick.