Menu

Acceptance.


Accept your feelings, acknowledge them and try to understand them if you can. Accept that your feelings belong to you. Others may have suffered a similar loss and felt differently. Accept that a feeling is a feeling, it is what it is. It can never be wrong to feel the way you feel.


Practice Selfcare.

 

Give yourself a break. Avoid taking on new responsibilities when possible. Lighten your load if you are able. Make time for things you enjoy. Ask for help with tasks you are dreading or dislike doing. Make time for activities that nurture you. Embrace nature, look up at night and see the stars. Look down during the day and see all the little pollinating critters. Let the wonder of our world comfort you.


See your friends and family. Don’t go it alone. Spend time in the company of others. Continue your activities or return to those you have not been able to participate in for a while. 


Eat well. If you don’t feel like cooking healthy food visit the take-out section of your local market. Grieving is hard work your body needs to be in good shape. Eat your fruits and veggies. Go light on the sugar and alcohol.


Move. Take a walk. Sign up for an exercise class, water aerobics, or yoga. Regular exercise is a good antidepressant.


Sleep well. Put yourself on a schedule. Build in time to decompress before bed. Make a to do list for your day tomorrow, then let go. Read a book or listen to a meditation, whatever it takes to get you to a calm relaxed frame of mind so you can settle in for a good night’s sleep. 


Be Open to Help

 

Grieving is hard work. It can feel like swimming in the surf. When a rogue wave washes over you, if you are not to drown, you need to engage and work at keeping your head above water. Grieving is also an active endeavor. A person who is mourning will need to work their way though the process. It’s a journey. Sometimes a helping hand from a counselor, pastor, or grief support group is exactly what is needed. It’s best not to wait until you are under water to ask for someone to throw you a life preserver. Accepting help sooner rather than later is a good idea.



www.smithfamilycares.com

Smith Family Funeral Homes provides quality funeral, memorial and cremation services to the families of Central Arkansas. Their six locations can be found in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Westbrook, Sherwood, Benton and Arkadelphia. With a privately-owned crematory operated by licensed professionals, Smith Family Funeral Homes can guarantee their high standard of care throughout the cremation process. To learn more, visit smithfamilycares.com.

What Happens at a Visitation?

By Smith Family • February 5, 2025
Human beings are social. We crave the company of others. During times of stress our friends comfort us, they listen to us, and share our troubles. When someone we love dies, we need our people.

What’s the Benefit of Paying for My Funeral in Advance?

By Smith Family • February 5, 2025
Planning for your end-of-life ceremony, your funeral, has many benefits. Some of them are practical, some are emotional, and some are financial. For some, planning in advance actually helps them live a better, more purpose-driven life.

Eating Alone Is Hard

By Smith Family • February 5, 2025
For a person who has lost a life partner, a husband or a wife, mealtime is often the most challenging time of their day. It is sometimes difficult to muster the desire or skill necessary for meal preparation. Sometimes it is just hard to deal with the expanse of the table when no one else is sharing the space. So, it becomes too much trouble to cook for one or to eat alone.

Does Everyone Go Through the Five Stages of Grief?

By Smith Family • January 6, 2025
What does grief look like? It’s a question that’s been asked for centuries, and it’s difficult to answer because grief looks different to different people. But we’ve often been told that the grieving process follows a certain path, which is commonly called the five stages of grief. Does everyone go through the five stages? And if they don’t, how do they know if they’re grieving properly?

Attention to Detail Matters in a Funeral Director

By Smith Family • January 6, 2025
When you work with a funeral director, you’ll quickly find that they don’t just look at the big picture. They want to know details, from how you want your loved one to look to how you want some of their most precious items to be featured. Here are just a few of the details that a funeral director needs to know to ensure that they plan a funeral that’s perfect for your loved one.

Dealing with Grief on the Anniversary of a Loved One’s Passing

By Smith Family • January 6, 2025
There are many days throughout the year that remind us of our loved ones who are no longer with us physically. We find ourselves thinking of them on their birthdays, special holidays, or anniversaries. The anniversary of their passing can be an especially difficult day. Experiencing grief on this day is natural, but it can be overwhelming and painful. Here are a few tips to help you get through this challenging day.

Why Have a Funeral Service

By Smith Family • January 6, 2025
When a loved one passes, one of the first questions that often gets asked is when the funeral will be held. It’s assumed that a funeral will be the way in which family and friends say a final farewell, but do you have to have a funeral? While no law makes it so that you have to hold a funeral in a loved one’s honor, you may want to consider what you could miss out on when you decide against a funeral.

The 20 Best Songs to Play at a Funeral

By Smith Family • November 25, 2024
Music affects us. Whether it makes us laugh from silly lyrics or cry from a meaningful melody, music has the power to make us feel something. Choosing music for a funeral can help set the tone of the service and mirror the spirit of our loved one. Take a look at some of the best and most popular songs played at funerals to inspire your own choices.

5 Things Not to Do When Someone Is Grieving and What to Do Instead

By Smith Family • November 25, 2024
When a friend loses a loved one, you want to do what you can to help them through this difficult time. But what does that support look like? Sometimes, when we attempt to help friends who are grieving, we end up saying and doing things that may not be all that beneficial. Some common attempts to be of service may actually be better off avoided. What should you not do when a friend is grieving?

What’s the Best Thing to Say to Someone at a Funeral?

By Smith Family • November 25, 2024
When someone passes, what should you say to the people they leave behind? It’s a tricky question. You want to be respectful and acknowledge their loss. You don’t want to diminish their grief, but you also don’t want to say something that may upset them when they’re already experiencing many emotions. When you greet a family member at their loved one’s funeral, what's the best thing to say?
More Posts
Share by: