3 ways to turn grief into grace!
1
Heal with a “heart” hobby
Psychiatrist Eric Bui, M.D., says trying a new activity in
honor of a loved one—like knitting, painting, writing or doing
something they loved—can help focus your mind after loss.
Before you start, dedicate the activity to their memory.2
Ease sorrow with social support
“When we feel despair, loss or disappointment, finding a
community helps us heal,” says Pastor Max Lucado. One easy
way to share messages of support is to start a
Facebook group. Simply click “create” to set up
a private page, then invite loved ones to post.3
Give back to feel instant hope
Research shows that the act of giving
decreases activity in the amygdala (the part
of the brain that processes stress) while
boosting feelings of hope and joy.to do, don’t wait—do it now.
Cynthia posted the sticky on a
building near her job. Will any-
one even read it? she wondered.
But the next day...
Cynthia had signed the note,
with her Instagram handle,
and, when she checked her feed,
she discovered someone had
snapped a picture of her note
and sent it to her with the mes-
sage, I’m so thankful I found this.
It was exactly what I needed to
hear today. As she read the mes-
sage, Cynthia smiled, her first
real smile in a long time. Maybe
there really is something to this,
she realized. And she picked up
her pen and another sticky note.
This time, Cynthia described
enjoying superhero movies withher mom: She was more than a
mother—she was my best friend.
Make time to spend with your
parents, you never know when
they won’t be around anymore.
Soon after, that note was also
sent back with the message, I
just lost my dad. You can’t believe
what finding this means to me.
Cynthia began writing mes-
sages on the notes and, today,
continues to leave them in
subway stations, on ca fé tables
and around town, imagining
each finds the person who needs
it most. “It touches my heart
that I can touch someone’s life,”
Cynthia says. “I never real-
ized how much being kind can
heal...and make the world so
much brighter!” —Bill HoltonGetty(^2
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We (^) pay
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