I came across an article the other week that made me stop. Since I started writing openly five years ago, I've found a lot of incredible advice online on how to deal with grief. The advice I read in this article — taken from a Reddit thread — was spot on and beautifully put. I knew you'd understand & appreciate it too.

Death has a way of making you come face-to-face with your life. No words can capture the entirety of how loss shapes us. But until then, here are six truths I’ve learned through my own personal experiences of love and loss, grief and growth, survival and surrender, and 5 years of writing on the topic.

The more in tune you get with what you’re feeling, the better you can identify and meet your needs. It takes self-awareness, respect, and practice. Each affirmation here is like a “note to self.” It’s a statement of what’s true and possible for you. It’s a way to validate the way you feel, so you can move forward.

Grief isn't linear; more like the tides or the seasons. The more familiar I get with it, the more I see that everything in life has its seasons... including YOU. Each season of grief has its own lessons and challenges, its own weather and mood. And each one has its place. That's one thing I've learned from loss so far.

All the feelings: that’s kind of what happens when you’re going through hard times, or healing in the aftermath. Especially when it's the holiday season, a time of celebration, and you're hurting. And you know what? You’re allowed to feel everything. You’re human, not made of stone.

I know how hard it is to keep your heart open after it's been forcibly cracked open. I also know that it's the only way to heal, connect, and feel joy rising up through the cracks where the light got in. Here are some thoughts on grief, losing the person you love so much, and keeping them in your heart for as long as you live.

What if you’re not ready to change? Not ready to feel the full spectrum of your feelings? What if your healing feels rushed… even if it’s been months, years since you started hurting? This is a short note just to say… it’s OK. You’re OK. Treat yourself like a garden & you’ll see, you don’t have to bloom all year long.

If you lost someone you love, how you live now is your greatest contribution to the love you shared and still share. That love is in every step you take, intimately tied to your joys & your dreams. It's a tattoo that can't be removed, an eternal river running through you. Grief lasts a lifetime, but love lasts forever.

When my brother died by suicide eight years ago, I didn't know what to expect out of life after. Do you go through the stages of grief, one at a time? How long till you can laugh again? Does the pain ever go away? I found some answers, but not all of them. I learned that grief lasts a lifetime, but love lasts forever.

I hope you look for one thing and, by chance, find something else beautiful and true. I hope that wherever you look, you see a piece of yourself in everything, and recognize in yourself an entire universe... In the end, I hope you find what you're looking for, especially when it's not what you set out to find.