silver linings? really?
So, I recently made a YouTube video discussing the positive things that have come out of my grief journey. I was honestly nervous to make the video because I was afraid of getting a ton of negative comments from internet trolls.
(If you’re blissfully unaware of the amount of negative and nasty comments people leave on the Internet — consider yourself lucky. It’s a steady gut punch.).
But, because I’ve had so many terrible things that have happened in my life that I no longer give a shit about internet trolls, I decided to throw caution to the wind and talk about the ways that my deep grief has made me a better person.
Don’t get me wrong. Grief totally sucks. No beating around the bush here. But while I can't turn back time (as much as I wish I could), I've seen how hardships can change us for the better in ways that we never thought possible.
I am sometimes full of very, very bad vibes. And I’m ok with that.
I’m definitely NOT a supporter of toxic positivity, but I AM a believer that gratitude can help healing. So, in that spirit, here are some silver linings you might find in your grief journey, even when life seems to be chucking lemons at you from all directions:
Priorities get a makeover. Life’s too short to sweat the small stuff, and grief can make that crystal clear. Like, maybe you were a workaholic pre-grief and now you're re-evaluating and spending more time with loved ones. Or maybe, you ditched that toxic relationship after realizing life's too short for that bullshit.
Empathy goes through the roof. I've always been an empath, but after dealing with so much loss, I feel like my empathy levels have hit overdrive. Suddenly, you notice more people needing a hand, and you're more than willing to offer yours.
Life and death become, well, less scary. Okay, this one’s controversial. But here’s my take: after facing so much loss, death kind of loses its edge. Instead of fearing it, I see it as another part of life – albeit a sucky one.
Identity can shift – in a good way. Sometimes, it takes a big loss to truly find yourself. I was always so busy being “mom” that I forgot who I was. But after the grief, I started exploring what makes me, me. And that's been a surprising positive.
You turn into a resilience rockstar. Grief is like the world's toughest boot camp. You come out the other end stronger, more resilient, and with a collection of coping tools that'll help you tackle whatever life throws at you next.
So, yeah, grief can be dark, draining, and downright sucky. But you're a fighter, and there might be some unexpected perks to this tough journey. Whatever you're going through, know that I believe in you. Let's support one another and find the light, even in the darkest of times.
To watch the video version of this blog post, click below.
