How Should I Live My Life if I've Lost Someone?

Losing someone you love is an inescapable part of life. Whether you are suffering from the loss of a major relationship that ended, or have lost someone who recently passed away, it is natural to experience grief afterward. While it may seem like you will be unable to live your life after you have lost someone, it is possible to heal from the sadness and continue carrying on with your life. Allow yourself time to get through this difficult part of your life, and try to maintain a healthy healing mindset.

Instructions

• 1

  Find support. After you've lost someone it is important to be surrounded by support systems, whether that includes your family, friends, a grief counseling group or participating in a faith support group. You should not go through the grieving process alone, and connecting with supportive individuals and groups can help you heal.

• 2

  Take care of your mental and physical health. After you lose someone it is easy to slip into a state of depression that may lead to loss of appetite, loss of interest in eating healthy or even the inability to sleep. It is important to care for yourself during this time and force yourself to stay on track by eating and sleeping, even if it is only a little at a time.

• 3

  Get some exercise. It is known that exercise can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety -- both of which you may be feeling. Exercising also gives you something to focus on besides your sadness. Set up a workout plan that keeps you active and motivated throughout the week. You might even find a friend who will join you so that you are not feeling so alone. A running buddy in the morning or a workout partner in the evening can help you be a little social while doing something that makes you feel good.

• 4

  Remember your dreams. Although you may be feeling a little empty inside, you are still alive and you have a life worth living. Write down the dreams or goals that you have had for yourself, whether that was to take a trip to Italy some day, adopt a whale or open your own business. Keep your dreams a reality.

• 5

  Be social. There will be times when you feel like being alone, which is okay, but isolating yourself is not healthy. Participate in social gatherings a little bit each week or multiple times throughout the week if you can. Go to the movies, invite people over for dinner, meet a friend for coffee, go bowling or attend an art show. Social activities help you feel alive and can take your mind off of your sadness for a little while.

• 6

  Find a new hobby, or get back involved with an old one. You may have enjoyed gardening and planting flowers or vegetables once upon a time, or maybe you used to love playing golf or making scrapbooks. Hobbies are an effective way to give you something enjoyable to do.

• 7

  Keep the memory of the person you lost alive. It might be painful to see pictures of them at first or to see their belongings left behind, but it can also be comforting to accept that they were a part of your life and that you will always remember them.