Maybe you’ve lost a loved one recently. Or perhaps your loved one passed away months ago, yet you still don’t feel like yourself again. Before this major loss, you might have been motivated to achieve big goals. But now, it feels like you’ve lost that fire inside.
On the other hand, maybe you had been letting your dreams fall by the wayside and feeling a lack of purpose before your loved one’s passing. Now, this loss has awakened you to your own mortality. You’re wondering what you can do to connect with your deeper purpose and move forward with intentionality.
Getting in touch with your purpose after a loss is not an overnight process. It’s definitely not a journey that can be rushed. But with time, you can find ways to honor your loved one’s memory while taking steps towards goals that you’re passionate about achieving. Here’s how to start down your path toward purpose in the wake of a loss.
Tend to Your Basic Needs First
Right now, there’s a good chance that you having trouble sleeping, exercising, eating well, or even leaving your house. Before you focus on finding your purpose, make it a priority to simply tend to your basic needs.
Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each night, and incorporate gentle movement into your routine. Taking care of your physical needs during this time is paramount.
Allow Yourself to Get Curious
You might be making assumptions about what your purpose should be. For example, you may be wondering if you’re supposed to support a cause that your loved one was dedicated to, or if you should assume responsibility for tasks they used to carry out within your family or community.
Instead of trying to grab onto a flimsy sense of purpose right away, let yourself get curious about your potential next steps. Try new things and explore different interests. You might be surprised by what inspires you.
Don’t Put Pressure on Yourself
After a loss, you may feel like you have to find a way to “make up for” your loved one’s absence. You might conclude that you need to have a grand, all-encompassing purpose that you dedicate your life to.
But pressuring yourself to achieve something big in order to fulfill your purpose can actually intimidate you away from setting any goals at all. Allow yourself to take small steps. Small actions can lead to a big impact.
Reconnect with Your Passions
Think about the activities, hobbies, and causes you used to be passionate about before losing your loved one. Are there any passions that you’ve pushed to the back burner since losing them? You might find that your purpose is connected to a hobby that you’ve let go of.
In fact, you may not need to try anything new in order to find your purpose. The answer might have been right in front of you all along.
Consider Working with a Therapist
You don’t need to do the work of reconnecting with your purpose all on your own. You might be interested in working with a qualified therapist to process your emotions surrounding the loss and reflect on what you might want to do next in life.
A therapist can help you avoid making rash decisions, especially if the loss is very fresh. They can also guide you through big life changes if you’re ready to make those choices.
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Are you struggling to reconnect with your purpose in the midst of grief? A therapist can help you heal and move forward. Reach out to us to learn more about scheduling a grief counseling session.