Last Saturday, my father passed away after suffering from cancer for over 2 years.
My initial response was to tell everyone I was ‘fine’ and to think about how I would juggle business commitments around funeral arrangements.
We all process grief and loss in quite different ways. For me, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, dealing with change, or being made redundant at work, my logical brain kicks in and, ‘I just want to get on with it’.
My stoicism is how my logical brain protects me from any state of overwhelm or feeling that I am on an uncontrollable and emotional roller coaster.
However, putting on a brave face for the world means I don’t give myself any time to grieve and I have been guilty of ‘knee-jerk’ decisions, based on how I was feeling at the time.
This time however, I took the ‘out of character’ decision to slow down, reflect, accept and enjoy tearful moments and understand that the world keeps on turning whether I am fully present, or not.
As a coach, I often use the Kubler-Ross ‘5 stages of grief’ or the ‘change curve model’ to discuss change and loss, which are:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross developed this model to offer insights into how people cope with illness and dying. The stages however are not a linear and predictable progression, as some may believe, and are not a reflection of how people grieve. I have felt tiredness, exhaustion and acceptance this week but, not necessarily in that order.
This week, I am learning more about myself by being mindful, embracing my emotions, rather than searching for facts and logic. This process feels uncomfortable because ‘old habits die hard’ and unlearning is much harder than learning anything new.
Whether you have lost a loved one, are dealing with redundancy, or are managing massive change in your life:
- give yourself the space and time to reflect and grieve.
- talk to friends and family about how you’re feeling and, where necessary, seek professional help.
- try to get sleep and rest.
- accept that you may feel many emotions before you can learn to accept the situation and move on at your own pace.
- be kind to yourself.
‘Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.’
Enjoy your health, time with your family, vacations, friends, etc, today. Enjoy life!
RIP Dad – 22.10.1939 to 29.05.2021
HELEN MARTIN BLOG 