Is the Grief Grinch Stealing Your Christmas?

It’s “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – unless it’s not. For you.

You may be experiencing this holiday through the lens of grief. Everything feels flat. You’re numb. Every song, every card, every cheerful hello is a stab of excruciating pain.

The Grief Grinch is stealing your Christmas.

This may be the first, second, or third Christmas without your beloved. Every sight and every smell triggers a memory. You long for their presence.

The Grief Grinch is stealing your Christmas.

Colleagues, friends, and even some family members simply don’t understand. They think you should be ready to get back to “normal” – send cards, bake cookies, and even go to parties. They don’t know you’re barely holding yourself together. You’d rather curl up in a tiny little ball and hide.

The Grief Grinch is stealing your Christmas.

So, I’m here to say, “You will grieve…until you don’t.”

In the meantime, WAG that ol’ Grief Grinch. Don’t let him steal your Christmas.

How to WAG The Grief Grinch

WAG stands for:

W = Willingness

A = Awareness

G = Gentleness

Willingness:

 Are you willing to look the Grief Grinch in the eye? If you opened your front door and came face to face with the Grief Grinch…

• What would you see?
• What would you hear?
• What would you feel?
• What would you smell? (Yes, grief is often triggered by smell.)

Awareness:

• Notice what triggers your grief?
• Notice your judgements about yourself in this grief.
• Notice the critical “If only I…..”
• Notice your longing for your loved one.

Now write each thought down. Use your journal, notebook paper, or the back of an envelope. It doesn’t matter, just write.

The act of writing moves the thoughts out of your mind.

Feel the paper. Feel the movement of your hand across it. Press down HARD, as if leaving these negative thoughts on the paper.

Gentleness:

Now, again imagine the Grief Grinch standing before you…

• What do you say?
• What do you do?
• How do you feel?

Recently, I too needed to WAG the Grief Grinch. In the end, I found kindness and compassion for my frail human self. I know there are gifts in grief. I’ve discovered and lived them. Sometimes I need a little wag to remember.

You are not alone.

Blessings All Over,

Georgena