Welcome in everybody.

Today we're going to be taking a deep dive into something pretty powerful, I think.

Yeah.

Tools for dealing with grief.

Mm-hmm.

We're looking at 50 journal prompts.

Okay.

And they all come from a blog post called 50 Journal Prompts for Grief Right.

Pretty straightforward title there.

Makes sense.

It's from a company called Lestallion.

Interesting.

And before you think oh, it's just a sales pitch for journals.

Right.

I got to say some of these prompts are really good.

Oh, wow.

Like they've really hit hard in a good way.

That's interesting how they kind of position them.

It's not just like oh you know, just write down how you're feeling.

It's like they're saying actively, use this to engage with your grief.

Exactly.

It's like they're handing you a flashlight to go explore, you know, this dark, confusing landscape of grief.

Yeah.

And just having that light, that focus, can make a huge difference.

That's a good analogy.

Like one prompt asks what small things do you miss the most?

And it seems simple, but it brings back so many specific memories and emotions.

Yeah, it's about tapping into the details, you know the everyday moments that maybe you didn't think much of at the time, right, but they actually hold a lot of meaning, and that's where you find those poignant reminders of what you've lost.

Okay, so let's dive into the first category of prompts.

Here it's called reflecting on your loss.

Okay.

And it's not about dwelling on sadness Right, it's about actively remembering and processing what happened.

Yeah.

One prompt asks how has your life changed since your loss, and I think that's really good, because it makes you think about all those ripple effects of grief.

Yeah, and how it touches every single part of your life.

It's acknowledging that grief isn't just this like internal thing.

Right.

It reshapes your world.

Right.

Your relationships, your routines, how you see yourself Everything changes.

There's another one that asks how would the person you lost want to be remembered?

Oh, wow.

And that one really struck me because it shifts the focus.

You're not just thinking about your own grief, you're thinking about their legacy, how they would want their story to continue.

It's such a powerful way to connect with them and find some guidance about their legacy, yeah, how they would want their story to continue.

It's such a powerful way to connect with them.

Yeah.

And find some guidance in their memory.

It's not just about your pain.

It's about how you can honor their life and keep their memory alive.

And that leads us to the next section.

It's called Processing Difficult Emotions.

Okay.

And this is where things get real.

These prompts help you acknowledge all those messy, overwhelming feelings that come with grief.

Right, because it's not just sadness.

Right, exactly, it's anger, guilt, confusion.

Yeah.

Even numbness sometimes.

Wow.

One prompt asks you to describe the physical sensations of sadness.

That's interesting and that's fascinating to me.

Yeah, because it's saying grief isn't just emotional.

Yeah, because it's saying grief isn't just emotional, it's physical too.

That's interesting and that's fascinating to me.

This whole mind-body connection is really important with grief Right.

If you pay attention to the physical sensations, you learn a lot about how it's affecting you.

Like tightness in your chest or heaviness in your limbs.

It changes in your appetite.

All of that.

And there's one that asks how do you express your grief to others?

Ooh, that's a good one, this is so important.

Yeah.

Because communicating when you're grieving can be so hard.

It really can be.

Everyone grieves differently and sometimes finding the words is just impossible.

Right, and there's no right or wrong way to communicate it.

Yeah.

Some people need to talk it out, some people express themselves creatively, some people just need time and space, right?

So this prompt is all about finding what feels most authentic and supportive for you.

It's like finding your own grief language and then teaching it to the people around you.

I like that, so they can understand and support you better.

Yeah, because even if you can't articulate everything perfectly, just trying to express it can be really cathartic.

It really is, you know, sometimes it's enough to just acknowledge you're struggling to find the right words.

Absolutely.

It can be a way of communicating in itself.

So we're going to move on to the next section.

Here it's called finding healing in memory.

Okay.

And this isn't about getting stuck in the past.

Right, it's about finding strength and comfort in memories.

Okay, and this isn't about getting stuck in the past.

Right, it's about finding strength and comfort in memories.

Yeah, one of the prompts that really resonated with me asks you to describe a place or an object that has special meaning related to your loss, and I think it's amazing how certain things can just hold so many memories and emotions.

It's like a sensory experience with grief.

Yeah, like a scent or a photograph or a piece of clothing.

Yeah.

It can really transport you back to that time you shared with them.

It's like you're holding a piece of the past, yeah, a reminder that, even though they're gone, their presence is still around us.

That's a good way to put it.

Another prompt asks about advice you received from the person you lost.

Okay.

And I bet that would be so comforting.

Yeah.

Especially if you're trying to make a tough decision or you just feel lost without them.

It's like tapping into their wisdom, letting their voice continue to guide you even when they're not physically there.

That's like you're carrying a part of them with you.

Their spirit lives on in those lessons they taught you.

Exactly.

Okay, so now we're getting to a section that's all about looking ahead.

Okay.

It's called exploring hope and renewal.

Interesting I know it sounds strange to talk about hope when you're grieving.

Yeah.

But these prompts are about finding those little glimmers of light in the darkness.

It's about recognizing that, even when you're in so much pain, there's still hope.

It might be small at first, but it's there.

It's a reminder that healing is possible.

Right.

And that joy can come back into your life.

And there's a prompt that asks what self-care practices bring you comfort.

Oh, that's important.

This is huge yeah.

Because grief can be so draining physically and emotionally.

It really takes a toll on you.

So self-care isn't selfish, it's essential.

I agree it's about taking care of yourself and giving yourself some passion.

Yeah, whatever helps you replenish your energy Exactly, whether it's a long bath or listening to music or just being out in nature.

It's like putting on your own oxygen mask first.

Right.

You can't help anyone else if you're not taking care of yourself.

Exactly.

And that brings us to the final section Embracing the journey of healing.

Okay.

These prompts focus on that long-term process of grieving.

Right.

And the importance of being kind to yourself along the way.

It's understanding that healing isn't a straight line Right and the importance of being kind to yourself along the way.

It's understanding that healing isn't a straight line Right.

There are going to be good days and bad days.

It's about being patient with yourself and honoring your own pace.

One prompt asks how your grief has transformed over time.

Interesting and that's such a powerful question because it makes you reflect on how far you've come and it helps you see those little shifts that have happened because, even though the pain might never go away completely right, it can change yeah, might become less sharp exactly.

It's not as all-consuming as it was before it's like a wound that's healing yeah it leaves a scar, but it doesn't hurt as much anymore and that scar becomes part of your story.

It shows your strength and your ability to heal.

The one prompt that really stood out to me in this section asks about forgiveness.

Okay.

What does forgiveness mean to you in the context of your grief?

That's a tough one.

It is.

It's a really loaded concept.

Especially when you're dealing with loss.

Right.

And I think it's important to approach it with a lot of compassion for yourself.

Yeah.

It's not about condoning anything or minimizing your pain.

Exactly it's about letting go of the anger and resentment, the guilt that you might be holding on to.

It's about choosing peace instead of holding on to that pain.

And you know, sometimes forgiveness is more about you than the other person.

Exactly.

It's about freeing yourself and it's about choosing to move forward.

you know with less of a burden, even if you don't know what's ahead, right.

And in that spirit of moving forward, we come to the last prompt in this collection.

Okay.

It asks you to think about the future with your loss in mind.

I know it can be daunting to think about.

Yeah, it feels, almost impossible sometimes.

But I think it's worth trying to imagine what that future could look like.

It's not about pretending the loss didn't happen, right.

Of course not.

It's not about pretending the loss didn't happen, right?

Of course not.

It's about acknowledging how deeply it affected you Right, but you can still dream and hope and create a future that honors what you lost.

It's about carrying their memory with you in a way that feels right for you Exactly.

Maybe it's keeping up a tradition they loved or supporting a cause they were passionate about.

Yeah.

Or even just sharing stories about them with other people.

It's about keeping their spirit alive in the world, letting their legacy inspire you and shape who you become.

And sometimes that future you know might look totally different from what you thought it would.

That's true.

Loss has a way of changing your perspective, your priorities, what's important to you.

Like a detour on a road trip.

Yeah.

You might find something amazing you never would have seen if you stayed on the main road.

And sometimes those detours lead to the best destinations.

Exactly so.

As we wrap up our deep dive into these 50 journal prompts for grief, I just want to say these are tools, you know, invitations to really explore your grief.

Use them in a way that feels right for you.

Be messy, be vulnerable.

Yeah, be honest with yourself on the page.

And remember there's no right or wrong way to grieve.

Everyone's journey is unique.

Take your time.

Yeah.

Ask for help if you need it Exactly.

Honor your own pace.

And if any of these prompts really resonate with you.

Yeah.

Share your own pace and if any of these prompts really resonate with you share your thoughts, your reflections, even your struggles, Because your voice matters Absolutely and by sharing your story you might help someone else feel less alone in their own grief.

That's what it's all about.

Thanks for joining us on this deep dive, everyone.

It's been a pleasure.