You’ll hear a lot of advice telling you how to move on, whether from grieving the loss of a loved one or a broken relationship. While it’s important not to sit in the past or let such losses get the better of your well-being, trying to simply ‘move on’ doesn’t always help. People experience healing differently, and sometimes, getting closure is important. It allows you to come to terms with the reality and makes it easier to move on. If you’re dealing with a loss or permanent separation from a loved one, the following tips can help you get closure and move forward.
- Take your time to adjust to the loss
Finding closure after losing a loved one may take a considerable amount of time, depending on who you are or how close your bond was. Just because others were able to move on with little time does not mean you have to force yourself. Take as much time as you need to adjust to the loss. During your adjustment period, don’t let anyone tell you how you’re supposed to feel or force you to stop living in the past. Try going at your own pace. However, don’t forget to take care of your health while you adjust. Try to eat healthy and get some rest even if you may not feel like it. If you’re grieving the loss of a loved one, use this period to honour their memory by giving them a befitting send-off, which leads to the next helpful tip.
- Hold a memorial service
To gain closure, bringing all your loved ones, friends, and family together to say a final goodbye to someone you once loved can help you and everyone else to move on. A simple memorial service should be more than enough – nothing too grand and fancy. Your goal is not to show off but to create a meaningful occasion. So, work with respectable funeral directors to help you pay your final respects. Also, allow others to eulogise and memorialise your loved one and listen to how impactful they were. That alone can give you some level of closure and help you start your healing process.
- Participate in a support group
Some people dislike the idea of joining support groups because they think it makes them look weak. But if you need closure, one of the best ways to get it is by joining such groups. Why? Because they provide safe spaces where you can express your feelings without fear or judgment. You’ll also be in the company of others dealing with similar struggles or losses, and that will foster a sense of validation and understanding. You’ll no longer feel misunderstood or alone, and it will be easier to come to terms with your feelings. Even more importantly, you might pick up a thing or two from others who have successfully navigated through their welter of emotions and found the closure they seek. That will give you some sort of emotional template you can apply to your case. Of course that doesn’t mean you have to copy how others found closure, but their experiences can guide you.
Laura x