Post holiday blues, grief and love

Maybe you've come back from an amazing holiday and are dreading going back to work.

Or maybe you haven't been anywhere, but a stressful event is looming around the corner and you're not sure how to cope with it.

The latter happened to me recently. Someone very dear to me moved away from Frankfurt and I had to navigate all kinds of emotions, but mostly grief.

So whether your grief is caused by having to come back to the "real world" after a beautiful holiday or by the end of a season of your life... here's how yoga and self-care habits can support you.

Give yourself space to feel all the emotions

The temptation is to bury the uncomfortable emotions and power through. But I find that it's not effective. They always find a way out.

Let's try to instead set some alone time and allow yourself to feel it all. The sadness, the joy, the fear, the gratitude, the frustration, the love, the anger... Whatever they are.

Let them say what they need to say. Hold the space for them. Maybe journal on what comes up.

Listen to your needs

From this place, take a moment to ask yourself the big question: what do I need?

Do you need alone time? To feel supported? To vent? To take a long walk? To release nervous energy? To bury yourself under a blanket and watch a romcom?

Practice gratitude and acceptance

Allow yourself to fully appreciate the goodness in your life. Feeling gratitude for the time you just had... and accepting that since everything is temporary, the sadness was always part of the deal.

I love this quote on the subject of grief and love:

Be kind to yourself, body and mind

Accept that you might not function at 100% of your potential for a little while, and that's okay.

Show yourself kindness, intentionally, on a daily basis.

Take a bath, rest under a weighted blanket, do some yoga, get a massage (or a self-massage), and watch your self-talk. Be mindful of saying "I should" too often.

Get back into a routine, plan it, follow it

Plan your next few weeks with self-compassion in mind.

What would an optimal week look like for you? What is the least you could do that you would still consider good enough?

Give yourself options, and aim for imperfect action. You don't have to do all the things every day, but do something every day. It will help you get back into a routine that nourishes you and supports you through this time of your life.

I hope it helps, and I would love to know your thoughts.

And if you'd like my support to help you navigate through this, reply to this email with a short summary of your situation, or answer these questions.

Om, peace 🧡

Clem