Grief comes in many shapes and sizes and all are valid

Sometimes we deny or gaslight our own grief with statements like “other people have it worse than I do,” or “I shouldn’t be feeling this way.” When we do that we invalidate our feelings and what is true to us. This can keep us stuck because it doesn’t allow ourselves to process what we are feeling.

Grief is not a competition. There is no measurement, comparison or timeline for grief. You can grieve the death of a loved one, grieve a child leaving for college, or grieve that they don’t make a sandwich at your favorite deli anymore. All are very different and all are valid. Endings and changes can be difficult regardless of what they are. Your connection to whatever you are grieving matters.

The most important thing is to give yourself permission to process your grief. Give yourself space and time to process. The more you can allow yourself to feel the authenticity of what you are feeling and going through, without comparing it to other situations and people, the more space you will have to heal. What you grieve about, how and how long you grieve is completely up to you.

Take care of yourself. You deserve it. All your feelings are valid.