With the way of the world today, it feels important to share my truth with you. I share in hopes that my perspective with grief and compassion can offer some hope for a future that brings us out of isolation and division propelling us into compassion and connection. 

Before sharing anything else, I want to acknowledge the grief we are experiencing as a society. 

Grief, according to The Grief Recovery Institute, "is the conflicting feelings that come at the end of or change in a familiar pattern of  behavior." And unresolved grief is the "loss of  hopes, dreams, and expectations about what we wish was different, better, or more."

So when we think about all the recent changes, all the things we don't get to do, the school closures, the loneliness due to social isolation, the loss of jobs, the closing of businesses, the loss of trust, not to mention the fear and threat to our health and mental wellness... it is understandable that we are grieving. 

While what each of us is experiencing in our daily lives is unique, what remains the same and universally true are the wide range of feelings we have as  humans: confusion, overwhelm, anxiety, fear, discomfort, disappointment, uncertainty, hope, gratitude, relief, curiosity, worry, loneliness, regret, shame, determination, and the list goes on. 

During this time of change and challenge, the most important thing to remember is our common humanity. 

Grief is what unites us, as we are all human and no one is immune to the hardships of loss- be it the devastation and heartache of losing someone you love or someone important to you… or losing your hopes, dreams, and expectations about how you thought life, particularly your life or the life of those you love, would go. A loss of yourself, a loss of health, a loss of love, a loss of confidence, a loss of community, a loss of opportunity, a loss of hope, a loss of trust... 

What matters most to us is becoming clear. And what we are willing to put up with is changing. That is what grief does... it strips away the facade. It's where love has a chance to show itself, and where powerful movements like Black Lives Matter, #metoo, and LGBTQ civil rights are born.

This process, death of the old ways of being, doing, acting, can be painful... because change can be painful. And yet, the potential for a new beginning that we never thought possible is what becomes available.

The challenge I see? That grief is not something most of us were not taught much about. If anything, we were actually given a lot of misinformation about it. I am here to tell you this: 

When we are able to look at our grief with compassion and acknowledge and validate the grief in others, then love can outshine hate --- and our world can begin to heal. 

As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Self-compassion is where healing begins. This means acknowledging our own feelings and heart-ache as valid, rather than dismissing them. Because dismissing our own grief experiences means dismissing the grief experiences of others. 

Therefore when we have compassion for ourselves and our stories, we are then able to have compassion for others.

Forgiveness also starts within. When we forgive ourselves- not through condoning or dismissing our own behavior, but rather by owning our part, apologizing, and having compassion for ourselves for the things we wish we had done differently... then forgiving others becomes possible.

This is what it means to be human (to me): to acknowledge our imperfections, to apologize when we hurt others, and to begin again with the intention to be kinder, more aware, and always growing.

If we are going to rise out of the pain of our losses and move forward with conscious, empowered intention...then the first step is recognizing that we have a choice, and that choice starts with how we decide to treat ourselves.

Once we have chosen self-compassion, self-forgiveness, and self-love, then we can choose a new path forward, and that path forward can be about building connection through compassion, curiosity, and understanding. 

And let’s be clear, it doesn’t have to be grand. It can start small by simply recognizing when we are unkind to ourselves and then taking baby steps to offer ourselves the loving kindness we need and want. 

It can also be the simple act of acknowledging a stranger, your neighbor, the person who is checking you out at the grocery store. It can be a thank you. It can be a deep breath before we react. It can be asking a question with curiosity rather than jumping to conclusions. 

In Grief Recovery we say, "loving yourself is having the willingness and ability to make your own choices without the need of approval of others"… in other words, reverence or deep respect for the beauty within you and for your life's journey. 

While loving another “is having the willingness and ability to allow others to make their own choices, without the need to satisfy you." So simply witnessing and having reverence for the beauty of another and their life’s experience is you loving another.

Once we make this shift, treating ourselves, our stories, our experiences, our journey with respect and self-compassion, then the Golden Rule of treating others the way you want to be treated (or the way you treat yourself) - will be a gift rather than a detriment.

As Desmond Tutu said, "My humanity is bound up in yours. For we can only be human together." 

So, if you are wondering what you can do to co-create a more beautiful tomorrow, you can start by healing your own heart... because as you do, your capacity to have compassion for others will grow exponentially. 

And since grief, recovering from the pain of loss, and connecting through compassionate communication is where I feel most helpful, I decided to create a webinar to help those who are grieving move from isolation to connection after experiencing loss. And for the sake of practical action, I even provide heartfelt scripts so you can compassionately ask for what you need from the people in your life who matter most while still protecting your heart. 

It is available now and the scripts alone are a valuable tool to help you move from isolation to connection after loss. Register here to begin doing your part to build a more compassionate world.

And, if you haven't read The Compassion Code: How to say the right thing when the wrong thing happens, now may be the time. 

Father's Day, like all holidays, can come with some baggage.   Like Christmas, Valentine's Day, or it's close relative, Mother's Day, Father's Day can bring up unresolved grief.  

While Father's Day is traditionally about honoring your dad and setting aside time to say thank you, this can be a challenging day for someone who has unresolved grief.  

When I say grief, remember, it doesn't necessarily mean that your dad has died, as “grief is the conflicting feelings that come at the end of, or change in, a familiar pattern of behavior.” Grief come in many shapes and sizes.  Perhaps your relationship with your dad isn’t what you hoped or dreamed it would be, your dad wasn't around when you were growing up, your parents divorced, or perhaps you’ve never even met your biological father, etc.  Since family can be complicated, it is important to remember Father's Day can be too.

If your dad has died and you miss him, this may be a special opportunity to spend time doing things you loved doing with him.  You can also consider doing something that he loved. I encourage you to set aside time to honor him in whatever way feels good to you.

If you have a less than loving relationship with your dad, living or dead, this may be a good opportunity to be kind to yourself. Perhaps do something for yourself that you wish your dad would have done with you or for you. Some people try to make amends on this day.  If that feels like something you would like to do, let me just give you a couple tips.  

1) If you want to forgive him, please note that forgiving people who have not apologized may come across as an attack.  Perhaps you can forgive him in your heart and not to his face.  
2) If you have an expectation of the response you want, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.  Go into any interaction with your dad without an agenda, an open mind, and an open heart.  

As we say at the Grief Recovery Institute, forgiveness is not about saying what they did is okay, it is about letting go of resentment so that we can be free.  

So, as you go throughout this day, I want you to remember that it is normal to have feelings of sadness, longing, or just wishing things were different, better, or more.

Give yourself permission to feel however you feel and know that you are not alone in those feelings.  While I am fortunate to have a loving relationship with my father, Father's Day makes me sad because it makes me miss my mom.  She was always really good at making Father's Day special for my dad, which often leaves me not knowing what do for him.  

Whatever your story is, please know that you are not alone.  If you have the best dad or the worst dad; if your dad died or you sometimes think that would make it easier;  if your relationship with your dad is complicated and healing, or simple and growing; please remember that there is nothing wrong with you.  

You may look around today and see a whole bunch of people looking happy and celebrating their father, and you may even be one of them.  Just know that underneath the surface, everyone has a story, no one is perfect, and we are all just trying to figure it out.   

I hope that reading this message allows you to find peace this Father's Day.  To all the Father's out there, good and bad, who gave us life-- thank you.

For more support around grief and relating to one another more kindly through the challenges of life, subscribe to our newsletter and download the Compassion Code Starter Guide here.

Just a couple weeks ago, amidst this global pandemic, I had the privilege of speaking to a comprehensive health team for a school district down in Texas. It was so fun and amazing to be able to support, inspire, and educate so many mental, physical, and emotional health-care providers. It was so fun partially because so many of these amazing people give and give and give and give, and yet have very little left for themselves at the end of the day.

If you are someone who cares for others, at work or at home, and often neglect your own needs, this video is for you! Thank you for all that you do.

Hi there!

Today's message is to remind you to have self-compassion during these trying times of COVID-19.

As I've mentioned in past videos, “grief is the conflicting feelings that come when things change.”

So wherever you are and whatever you’re experiencing, I just want you to know that the range of experiences are completely valid as grieving experiences. It is also okay to feel whatever you're feeling.

Self-compassion means relating kindly to yourself during times of suffering.

Therefore, when you aren’t your best, when you feel like you fall short, when your temper gets the best of you, be kind and gentle with yourself. Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can. And when it doesn’t feel like your best, you can say just that, “I am sorry. I don’t like the way I behaved.” Or, “I don’t like what I said. I am sorry. Can I try that again?”

When you have compassion for yourself it allows you to be kinder and more compassionate to others.

Compassion and self-compassion mean giving ourselves and others the benefit of the doubt.

To learn more about the “how”, watch the video.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay sane.

XO

Laura

Today I want to talk to you about riding the waves of grief around the coronavirus and all the other challenges you are facing during this time.

So, what I've been hearing and noticing in my life, both personally and professionally, is that people are really hitting this point of, “oh my gosh, is this still going on?”

And so I want to first acknowledge all of you who are experiencing the grief of losing somebody you love.

I want to acknowledge that that's very real, and I don't want to take anything away from that because it can be one of the most earth-shattering experiences in life to lose somebody you love.

I also want to talk about the grieving experiences that come from a loss of freedom, a loss of routine and what's typically going on in your life, a loss of dreams or expectations you had that something was going to be different than it is.

So for example, maybe you enrolled in a course, had a vacation planned, or maybe you had a vision of how you thought things were going to be right now, and they just aren't that.

And you know the first couple weeks you were thinking, “Okay. This is temporary,” and now you’re feeling like, “Oh my goodness, I’m starting to feel like I'm going crazy.”

If that sounds like you, I just want to recognize that there's a collective experience happening where we are all grieving.

No matter what your experience is, I just want you to know that all those feelings are normal and natural reactions to loss of any kind.

At the Grief Recovery Institute, we talk about how “grief is the conflicting feelings that come at the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior,” and it is also a “loss of hopes, dreams, and expectations.”

We are all experiencing grief on some level right now.

So whether you are feeling grateful and at peace, exhausted and devastated, or somewhere in between, just know that you aren’t alone.

What seems to be true for many people is that a lot of old grief is coming up because we don’t have our typical distractions. Normally we can plan, stay busy, go out, commute, fill in the blank of any other thing that distracts us from our feelings, and right now we can't plan. There's no way to know.

So if you're just noticing in your life right now that you're having a hard time, I want you to give yourself some love and compassion.

None of the negative self-talk.

Right now, I just want you to say to yourself, “You know what, you're doing okay. You're doing the best that you can and sometimes it's not gonna cut it… and I'm gonna keep trying to be better and kinder — kinder to myself and kinder to others every day.

So it's just being compassionate with yourself that this is not easy. It's not easy for any of us. There's varying degrees of challenge that we're all facing and for those of you who are dealing with immense heartache, let us, those of us who aren't dealing with immense heartache, support you.

If you are in the midst of heartache or hardship, please know that your job right now is to receive.

There's no shame in receiving. There's no shame in asking for help. When you have something to give, whether that's your love, or that's your energy, attention, whether it's a video like this, please share when you can.

That's the gift that we get to give in this time. There's this flow, this give-and-take.

So you are riding the wave. You are in it.

Some days are good, and when it's good, embrace it and be grateful.

And when you feel terrible, you're down in the dumps, you're spiraling, you're thinking, “My freedom is gone, am I ever gonna see friends again? “Am I ever gonna get out in the world?’

Let yourself feel that too. Just don’t stay there.

Give yourself this internal dialogue, “Okay, I'm gonna give myself the next ten minutes (an hour/day) to go into the depths of despair and then I'm gonna let myself move beyond it and find gratitude.”

Ride those waves, be gentle and kind with yourself, be gentle and kind with others; we're all in this together.

It is hard. And let that difficulty be what unites us right now rather than divide us.

I want to talk to you today about the importance of not diminishing your own experience.

If you are thinking you have it easier than other people and therefore thinking “It's not okay for me to feel bad,” I just want you to remember you are also allowed to feel your feelings.

Everybody's experience is different. We're all going through something, and just acknowledging that your experience is valid and important to you is such a huge part of self-care during this time.

If you've been feeling guilty because you're doing okay, you have a job, you feel safe or secure, let me share this.

At The Grief Recovery Institute, we teach that guilt is the intention to harm.

So first, I just want you to ask yourself that, “Do I or did I have any intention to harm someone else by having success/ by being okay/ by being happy/ by having a good day/ by enjoying the sunshine?”

And if the answer is no, then I want you to consider taking off what I call the ‘guilt coat’ and ask yourself, what are the underlying feelings that you're having? In other words, what is underneath that guilt?

What I usually find is that I feel sad that other people are having a hard time, or I'm feeling hopeless about the situation. This leads to me feel guilty because it feels safer.

I want to give you permission and invite you to think about doing well, having a good day, feeling so safe and healthy, having a job. Whatever it is that is going well for you. Then I want you to consider that any area of your life where you are doing well is an opportunity for you to be full, which allows you to give to others.

If we were all drowning in an ocean of despair at the same time, who would help us out of it? Who would throw us the life preserver?

So, if you are somebody who's going through a hard time: maybe you lost your job, maybe you're going through hardship at home, maybe somebody in your life has died who you love, maybe you or someone you love is sick, it's okay for you to feel all those feelings. Your feelings are valid and important.

If you're somebody who is not having those experiences right now, rather than feeling guilty, utilize this as an opportunity to put yourself out there for others in whatever way you can.

Be supportive whenever you have extra energy because we all need people to support us when we're feeling down.

Those who are suffering really dramatically can be supported by those of us who are fortunate enough to be suffering in different ways.

Missing your friends, going to work, or visiting your favorite coffee shop, are completely valid as well.

We just need to contribute in whatever way we can. If you have money, or skills, or time, or love, or music, or shelter, or whatever it is that that may be right now, utilize this as an opportunity to give from that place of abundance.

If you're someone who needs help, your contribution can be ALLOWING others to give to you (which feels really good too, if you think about it.)

We love giving, so allow someone to give to you as a gift.

Share love whenever possible, offer your time, energy, love, money, whatever abundance of resources, or offer the ability to receive because that too is a gift. Okay?

We're all in this together, we're just all experiencing it in different ways.

So wherever you are, just show up as you are, ask for help if you need it, or give help if you have extra to give.

No need to feel guilt, because unless you had an intention to harm, it's not the real feeling.

Take off that guilt coat and ask yourself the question, “What's underneath this?” I feel sad. I feel hopeless. I feel like I wish things were different, and those are all grieving experiences.

So, it just may be that you're grieving and feeling a sense of hopelessness for so many people around you, so celebrating feels uncomfortable.

Maybe you just give yourself a chance to celebrate yourself and where you are and gratitude for whatever is going well. What that does is it allows you to continue to support others and raise the consciousness of our planet so that we're not all drowning in the ocean of despair at the same time.

So when you're full, you have more to give to others, and when you're feeling depleted, don't be afraid to ask for help from those of us who are feeling okay.

Wherever you are in that spectrum, allow it to be okay, give yourself a big hug and just keep doing the next right thing.

Kindness to yourself. Kindness to others always.

Please feel free to share in the notes if you have anything else that you want support around.

Hey there!

Today the question that came in was, “How do we support our friends who are going through hard times even though we're far apart? And what do we say?”

Here is how I do it:

When sending via, text message, a private message via messenger, or email, you can say,  “I heard about (whatever it was that happened), and I just want you to know I'm thinking about you.  I would love to support you.”

Offer them a time. “Are you available today or tomorrow?” Then rather than ask them what time works, offer them a mode of communication (FaceTime, Zoom, phone call) and few times that you are available and let them choose.  This facilitates the meeting and makes it so they only have to decide between 2-3 slots, rather than their whole schedule.

You can also offer this; “If you’d like to postpone and have me check-in in a week, please let me know.  That’s ok too. I just want to be here for you. 

When communicating, here are a few things you can say:

• “I am sending you a big hug.”

• “I wish that I could be there for you physically.”

• “This is so hard that we can't be together (or that I can't support you in physical presence.)”

If they don't respond, give them a day or two. You can then write back, “Hey, just checking in. Thinking about you. I'm sure you're busy, I'd love to be supportive/I'd love to be there for you/Please tell me if there's a way that I can support you.” 

Again, give them some options. When people are going through hard times, it's always better to give them a couple options. 

When they say, “Yes, I’d like to talk,” here is what you say:

• “I'm so thankful for taking the time to talk to me, I know that this is a crazy time.

• “What's going on?” “What happened?” 

If you don't know what happened yet, or if you want to hear from their mouth, you can say so. And if they are going to be upset or they're going to cry just know that's okay.   

You don't have to take that on. You're not creating it; they're already feeling those feelings, and you're just giving them a safe space for them to be heard.

After you ask, “What's going on? What happened?” all while being caring, curios, confidential, and without judgment, you say: 

• “Thank you so much for sharing.” (A gratitude) 

• “That totally makes sense that you're feeling the feelings you’re having.” (Validating and acknowledging the feelings they’re having). 

• “I can't imagine what that's like; thank you so much for sharing that with me.” (No two experiences are the same!)   

• “Letting you know that I am here.” 

• “Your feelings are valid and what you're saying makes sense.” (Acknowledging).

I always end with: “Thank you for sharing that with me.”  What this says is that I am a safe place and I appreciate that they feel safe enough to tell me whatever's going on.

If they cry, or they're sad, or they're mad, I just listen. I acknowledge. I don’t try to fix it. To acknowledge and validate you can say, “It's okay to be sad. It's okay to cry. It's okay to be mad. It's okay to be frustrated. It's okay to cry. It’s ok to feel whatever you’re feeling right now.”

Our goal as supportive friends is to normalize the other person's experience.

In summary:

• Reach out.

• Ask for specific times and days that we can support that person.   Get on the phone, FaceTime, Zoom,  etc.

• Ask them, “What's going on? What's happened? Do you want to share some more details with me?” Say, “I'm here to listen.”

• They tell you what is going on.

• You say, “Thank you for sharing. That makes sense. Your feelings are valid.” (You normalize their experience.)

• End with gratitude.

• Ask, “Would it be helpful if we checked in again in a week?” Say, “I'd love to know how you're doing and love to check in on you.”

• End in a virtual hug (and give yourself a big self-hug!)

• Remember to reach out again by putting it on your calendar

These are my suggestions for helping support a friend who's far away!  Stay safe, healthy, and sane.

Get your FREE copy of The Compassion Code Starter Guide by clicking here.

Hi there!

Today I would like to talk about how and why self-care is a major part of your health-care.

This is an important message because, during these crazy times of COVID-19, it is all too easy to let our self-care get away from us.

Whether you are an essential worker, part of the front lines, at home taking care of family members, children, other friends, or anyone else, this message is particularly important for you.  

Self-care is inclusive of anything that helps your mental, emotional and physical well-being.  The idea is that you take care of yourself so you can have more to give others. 

Here are three self-care techniques that can be utilized during current times and beyond:

Journaling

Journaling is a great way for you to let it all out. The point is to be able to get your feelings and thoughts out on paper and then let them go.    

It is a healthy place to vent what you need to vent and also bring awareness to gratitude as well. I encourage you to keep it in a safe place or throw it away if it won’t serve you moving forward.

Time is not an excuse! If you think you don’t have time, take your journal and something to write with to the restroom and find a few short minutes for yourself.  

The “Brain Dump”

Another great exercise, especially if you're feeling overwhelmed, is to do what we call a ‘brain dump.’ 

What this means is to literally write down on paper all the things you have to do.  Sometimes overwhelm happens because it is too hard to keep all our ideas in our heads.

Write down all the things you are trying to remember.  Make a personal category and a professional category and write everything down you have to do, is pending, or are trying to remember.  If you’d like, you can then categorize them into today, this week, and the future.    

As you complete your tasks, check them off and it will give you a sense of accomplishment.  

Remember to try to be realistic with yourself.  If you can't get to everything today, that's ok.  It is important to be compassionate with yourself and your goals. And relate kindly to yourself even when it feels like you fell short.

The “Vent/Gratitude”

The “Vent/Gratitude” is the idea of finding a safe person (somebody who's not judgmental, who will hold what you say to be confidential, and somebody who is willing to follow instructions).

Here is how you do it: 

• Put two minutes on a timer. 

• Vent out everything negative you need to say about what is going on in your life.

• Your partner will not talk while you are talking!

• When you are done, your partner will then ONLY say to you, “Thank you for sharing.” They will not try to fix anything, give advice to you, etc.  Only say, “Thank you.”

Next:

• Reset the timer and spend two minutes focusing only on your gratitudes.  

• Your partner will then say, “Thank you for sharing.”

• Ask if a hug would be ok, and if so, give each other a virtual or in-person hug. 

Finally, feel free to switch roles.  Your partner can tell you their vents and then gratitudes if they wish to.

Remember, self-care is for your health-care!  It is my pleasure to offer these tips and tricks during these unprecedented times of COVID-19.

Sending you a big virtual hug.  Please stay healthy and safe, be kind to yourself and others whenever possible, and I will see you online soon.

For more information, check out my Masterclass, Compassionate Communication 101: 5 Shifts to Confidently Navigate Change and Challenge with Ease.

Hi there!

In today’s video, I will share why this international pandemic could potentially be the doorway for growth. We will also revisit the idea of how COVID-19 is a grieving experience, and how grief is an opportunity for reflection, rediscovery, and reprioritization in our lives. 

Post-traumatic growth is an age-old philosophy that talks about how we experience growth through suffering. Therefore, post-traumatic growth is about how we experience a challenge or a change in life and how it creates an opportunity for growth.

This reprioritization allows us to grow through our suffering if we allow ourselves to be in a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset.

Post-traumatic growth is an opportunity to transform through a grieving experience. Evidence to look for in your life to see if you're experiencing post-traumatic growth is: 

1. A new appreciation for life

2. A changed sense of priorities 

3. A warmer more intimate relationship. 

4. A greater sense of personal strength. 

5. Recognition of new possibilities. 

It doesn't diminish any of the grief that you're having, as grief is the conflicting feelings that come when things change. It is saying that this experience that we're all going through right now, while challenging, devastating, hard, and even heartbreaking, is also an opportunity for us to grow, transform, and create a new beginning that we maybe never thought was possible.

“Just as the ground after the fire is the most fertile place for growth, your life after loss has the potential for a new beginning that you never even knew was possible.”

Remember to give yourself kindness and love. Encourage yourself to find ways to look at your life with an open mind about new opportunities and possibilities. Find ways to appreciate your relationships and have deeper connections. Find ways to have a greater sense of personal strength, and give yourself a pat on the back for all the ways in which you are tackling some of the hardships that are coming your way. Also, be compassionate with yourself when you don't do it the way that you wish you would have.

Wishing you the best in these trying times and sending you lots of love.

For more information, check out my Masterclass, Compassionate Communication 101: 5 Shifts to Confidently Navigate Change and Challenge with Ease.

Hey guys!

In this video, I get into how grief exists in all the changes we experience in life and that what you are feeling when things change is normal.

According to the Grief Recovery Institute, grief is the conflicting feelings that come at the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior. Therefore grief is in all changes that we experience as humans.

With the Coronavirus, the stay at home orders, and all the big changes that come with work, socializing, and life in general not to mention all of the grieving experiences that are related to traditional grieving experiences, just know that it's okay to grieve.

A few of the most important things that we have to remember in order to have compassion for ourselves during this challenging time is that:

1. It is ok to grieve (all losses not just death.)

2. Your feelings are legitimate, yours and yours alone. They are normal and they are natural.

3. Remember to acknowledge and validate yourself and others.

4. Whatever you're experiencing is ok!

5. You don't have to compare yourself to others. Comparing leads to isolation.

6. Try not to diminish other's feelings or experiences as well.

7. Relate kindly to yourself.

8. Know your audience and know who can support you!

To learn more, watch our brand new Masterclass: Compassionate Communication 101: 5 Shifts to Confidently Navigate Change and Challenge with Ease.

Hi there!

In this video blog, I speak about the importance of redefining 'selfish' and taking care of yourself so you can give more to others. If we don't fill ourselves up first, we don't nourish ourselves or take proper care of ourselves, we become depleted, exhausted, and we have nothing left to give others, including our friends and family.

Instead of thinking of it as being selfish to put yourself first, instead, consider it as nourishing yourself so you have more to give. If we don't take care of ourselves we can't be any good to anyone else!

We need a strong foundation for our partnership, colleagues, family, children or whoever else it is that you support or serve in your life.

Please let me know what you think in the comments!

For more support, check out our Masterclass: Compassionate Communication 101: 5 Shifts to Confidently Navigate Change and Challenge with Ease. Register here!

Hello everyone!

Today I’ll speak about our current lives during COVID-19 and our reaction as a society as it pertains to grief and what to do about it.

According to The Grief Recovery Institute, the definition for grief is, “the conflicting feelings that come at the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior.” It is the conflicting feelings that come when things change.

Therefore, the loss of hopes, dreams, and expectations when life is put on pause during COVID-19 is a form of grief as things in our lives change (as well as all of the traditional experiences that we already consider grief.)

So what are we going to do about it?

Having compassion for ourselves and others means relating kindly to ourselves and others during times of suffering and challenge.

Whether the changes in your life are big or small, there's no need to compare yourself to anyone else. Know you're not alone in this. Relate kindly to yourself. Feel your feelings. Practice safe listening.

A way to practice safe listening is by using a method we use in The Compassion Code Academy called, "Vent/Gratitude."

Check out my video for the full breakdown :)

To learn more, register for our just released Masterclass: Compassionate Communication 101: 5 Shifts to Confidently Navigate Change and Challenge with Ease.