Healing in Small Steps: Self-Care During the Journey of Grief
Grief has a way of touching every corner of our lives, often weighing on our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits in ways that feel overwhelming. For many of us, the simplest tasks become monumental, and self-care may feel like an afterthought. Yet, prioritizing our well-being, even in small steps, can become a pathway toward finding strength amidst pain.
In my recent podcast episode, I explored what self-care has meant in my own grief journey. These practices don’t erase the pain, but they help us find small islands of stability and healing, even when life feels like it’s spiraling. In this post, I’d like to share some reflections and practical steps that I hope will encourage you to begin or deepen your own journey of self-care.
1. Redefining Self-Care: Small Steps Forward
Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or time-consuming. In fact, the smallest acts of caring for ourselves can be the most powerful. Exercise, nature walks, and even creating a structured routine helped me regain a sense of purpose and accountability during some of my darkest days. Each small effort became a reminder that life, though changed, still had moments to be lived.
In moments when you’re not sure you have the energy, it can help to start with a single action—like stretching, taking a walk, or jotting down a thought or prayer. Simple routines can be grounding, offering a framework to lean on when everything else feels unpredictable.
2. Emotional Self-Care: A Safe Space for Grief
One of the hardest parts of grief can be finding ways to safely express the heavy emotions that come with it. Journaling has been an essential outlet for me, helping me put into words what’s often difficult to share aloud. Writing letters to my daughter, expressing my pain, and turning to God in my thoughts provided a safe space to let out emotions that felt too overwhelming to hold inside.
Finding a trusted counselor was also transformative. Having someone to walk with me through my grief, without judgment, allowed me to process feelings in a healthy way. If you’re struggling to find someone who “gets it,” don’t give up. A compassionate listener can make all the difference.
3. Physical Self-Care: Moving Through Grief
Grief affects our bodies, too. The tension it creates can feel like it’s physically weighing us down. Maintaining a simple physical routine—even a short walk or a bit of gentle stretching—can help ease that weight. On the days I skipped physical activity, I often felt my grief even more intensely.
Try to keep a few gentle activities within reach, like walking, stretching, or deep breathing. They don’t require much time or energy, but they help release some of the physical tension that grief brings. As challenging as it can be, finding even a few minutes a day for physical self-care can have a profound effect.
4. Spiritual Self-Care: Connecting with Faith and Nature
For me, faith has been a cornerstone in navigating grief. Spending time in prayer, reflection, and connecting with God has provided strength and peace. Sometimes, those moments come unexpectedly, like seeing a butterfly or noticing a cardinal in the yard—small reminders that God is with me in my pain.
If faith is part of your life, lean into it. Small moments of spiritual connection can be deeply healing, reminding us that, even in our pain, we are not alone.
5. Social Self-Care: Choosing Connections Wisely
As we grieve, our social needs can change. I’ve found that setting boundaries around social activities is a form of self-care, allowing me to say no to situations that feel draining and to focus on relationships that genuinely support me. Sometimes, simplifying our schedules and seeking meaningful connections, whether with friends, family, or support groups, can offer a sense of connection without overstimulation.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and evaluate the people and activities in your life. Creating space for what truly uplifts you can be a huge relief during this time.
Self-Care in Grief is Survival, Not Selfishness
Remember, self-care is not about “moving on” from grief. It’s about building a foundation to help us live alongside it. There will be days when self-care feels impossible, and that’s okay. What matters is that we keep trying, taking even the smallest steps to honor both our grief and our capacity for healing.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Self-care may feel challenging, but it’s also a lifeline, helping us find strength in stillness and resilience in our pain. Whether it’s taking a five-minute walk or spending a moment in reflection, every small step counts.
If this post resonates with you, feel free to connect with me on my podcast, Broken Vessels, where I share more about grief and the unique challenges of navigating loss. We’re in this together, one small step at a time.
