How to Move Forward with Grace After Losing a Spouse

Losing a loved one is never easy, but it’s especially difficult when that person is your spouse. Whether you have spent years or decades together, the loss of the person you hold most dear can be difficult to overcome. And yet, spending the rest of your life grieving is no way to live. If you’ve been struggling to understand how to move forward with grace after losing a spouse, here are a few suggestions to keep in mind.

Create a Routine

After a death, your entire world will be rocked. While this is a normal part of adjusting to the loss, it’s important that this time of chaos and lack of organization is only temporary. Once the funeral and financial matters are more settled, you can help yourself move forward by creating a routine. By establishing a daily schedule, you will give your body a signal that life can move forward. When the body is relaxed, you will find it easier to sleep at a normal hour and wake up feeling rested, so that you can navigate the necessities of your day-to-day.

Take Up a New Hobby

As part of your new routine, you may find it healing to begin a new hobby. Gardening can be a relaxing and gratifying option. As you tend to your plants, you can be reminded that life continues. Though growth and adaptation to a new life stage may feel slow at times, rest assured that you are exactly where you need to be. That being said, there are a wide range of hobbies you may enjoy pursuing that can fill the hours that may otherwise feel empty. If you’ve had a passion but never explored it, now is your chance.

Cultivate In-Person Connection 

One of the best ways to move forward with grace is to speak openly with friends and family members. Many of your loved ones may want to comfort you but not know how. When you share your feelings openly, you allow others to understand more of what you’re experiencing, so that they can help you process in whatever way is most helpful.

Similarly, it can be very healing to invest time with those who are still in your life. Spend time taking a walk, having dinner, or doing any other activity that feels meaningful. These moments of face-to-face connection can remind you of all of the reasons you have to continue living.

Maintain Your Home

In a state of grief, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with home repairs. If your spouse was the one who managed maintenance, you may find yourself intimidated by everything you need to do. However, ensuring your home runs smoothly does not have to be a challenge.

According to House Method, keeping up with simple maintenance around the home will prevent it from going into disrepair. Change out the air filter every three months, dust the floorboards, vacuum regularly, and make sure the dishes don’t pile up in the sink. When your home is cared for, you’ll feel that at least some part of your life is manageable.

Practice Self-Care

In addition to taking care of your home, it’s important that you continue to take care of yourself. Although it may feel difficult at first, make sure you’re continuing to eat, sleep, and exercise as regularly as possible. If it becomes difficult to complete normal tasks, you should speak with your healthcare provider or ask friends and family members for help.

Although the loss of a spouse is a major life event, it doesn’t have to derail the years you have remaining. In fact, with just a few of these suggestions, you can regain a semblance of normalcy, so that you can continue to live with grace.