Many people who are blessed enough to not have experienced grief personally often have absolutely no idea of what to say to someone who has recently gone through a loss.
Unfortunately, it's not uncommon that in an attempt to say something comforting, we often fall back on cliches that we've heard before. In some cases, however, these cliches can actually hurt more than they help.
When someone you care about loses someone they love, it can be shocking and devastating. Your first instinct would likely be to reach out and hug them or hold their hand, to offer to make them dinner or watch the kids.
These are all great. But what happens when you're not close enough to do any of those things?
When we lose someone we love, our whole world can standstill. It's normal to be withdrawn, to find yourself spending more time on the couch or in bed, trying to wrestle with grief.
While you definitely need time to fall apart on the couch, many people also find it helpful to take steps to move along the healing process as soon as possible. Those steps can be baby steps, too-- that's okay!
There's plenty of evidence that one of the best ways to start moving through your grief is to get outside of your home and into the sunshine... even if you're simply taking a few steps into your own backyard.
When your friend loses someone they love, we don't always know the right things to say or do. We can feel at a loss, and it can be isolating on both sides when you aren't sure how to try to help someone because sometimes we instinctively withdraw instead.
If you're feeling confused or unsure about how you can help your friend after they've lost someone they love, the good news is that there are some major things you can offer to do that can offer them comfort and practical support.
When someone is grieving.. we often feel as though we don't quite know what to say. But words and actions from friends can mean so much. So we asked a few friends "What can a friend say or do to support you during grief?"
