by Adapt Training and Development
Sometimes, things are just hard and there are no easy phrases or solutions to help us feel better. We just have to feel all of it—grief, sadness, confusion, exhaustion, fear. One of the central features of a lot of what happens in therapy or counseling of any kind is teaching people to sit with their feelings, to allow them and not fight them. When we try to numb or avoid or go around our feelings, we often reach for things (substances, shopping, gambling, unhealthy food) that might seem like short-term solutions, but lead us toward longer term problems.
What can we do when the feelings feel awfully big? We can name them. We can breathe. We can remind ourselves that the intensity of this moment will pass, and we know this from other hard times and losses. We can seek support, or we can offer support. We can cuddle one of our pets. We can go outside for a minute. In sum, we can ride the wave until it settles a bit.
Serious Illness, Death and Grieving in the Workplace from Stanford University is about loss and grieving in the workplace.
Lines for Life has a variety of support resources, including a Behavioral Health Support Line.
Be well.