Grieving | The Loss That Comes With Change

Like many of you, I’ve been cautious about my global, national and local information consumption these days.  But I was introduced to an article from the Harvard Business Review (That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief) that I found to be one of the most insightful pieces related to our current pandemic.  What a perfect word to describe the state of the world.

 

Grieving for those who have died, and anticipatory grief for more deaths to come.

 

Grieving for cancelled and postponed weddings, funerals, graduations, celebrations, traditions, holidays and gatherings.

 

Grieving when others don’t respond to the crisis in ways you think helpful or appropriate or safe.

 

Grieving that the “normal” way of life is gone.

 

Grieving that you have to be around family members you don’t like but also feeling guilty for feeling that way.

 

Grieving that all the control you thought you had is now gone.

 

Grieving the things you have to face now that most of your distractions are gone.

 

And the list could go on for a long time. 

 

I believe that all change involves grief:  whether it’s a shelter-in-place order or a new job or  the loss of something, there will always be a mourning of what used to be and an anticipation of what is to come.  And we as humans are so skilled at numbing ourselves to the pain of grief, because it’s awful and lonely at times and pretty miserable.

 

But, as one of my mentors will always say, grief also expands your soul.  Grief gives you a larger capacity to hold joy, empathy, compassion, hope, vision and grace, for yourself and others.

 

I encourage you to read the article mentioned above, and let me know if I can help in any way. 

 

With you and for you,

Alair