As a practice owner, relational expert and one who has a lived experience with loss, I realize that self-care is not a luxury, rather it is a necessity for us who are seeking emotional healing…..
And this is why….I will share 10 ideas for women to consider practicing to restore themselves, re-story a different woman in the wake of loss.
As we grow through loss, self-care often feels overwhelming. Many widows, myself included, are plotting a course through loss, emotional, physical exhaustion, loneliness, responsibilities, uncertainty, and survival simultaneously.
During these challenging seasons, even simple activities of daily living feel heavy. Self-care does not need to be complex, pricey, or perfect to be deeply meaningful. Sometimes, the tiniest intentional actions create the largest shifts in how we feel emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically.
Emotional Healing starts when we learn how to compassionately show up for ourselves once again.
At Grow Through Loss, I encourage widows (myself included, ladies) to focus on simple practices that help create grounding, calm, clarity, and connection in the midst of grief. These miniscule moments matter more than we recognize.
Take a Gratitude Walk
A gratitude walk is not about pretending everything is okay. It is about allowing yourself to notice tiny moments of beauty while moving through loss. Step outside, breathe deeply, feel the air, notice the trees, the sky, the sounds around you, and gently identify a few things you are grateful for in that moment. Gratitude and loss CAN exist together.
Journal Your Thoughts and Feelings
Journaling creates space to release emotions instead of holding everything inside. Write honestly without judgment. Some days you may write a paragraph, and other days only one sentence.
Both are enough. This is YOUR journal, it will become a safe place for reflection, emotional healing, processing, and growth.
Drink Water and Nourish Your Body
Loss impacts the body in profound ways. Many widows forget to hydrate, eat consistently, or care for their physical health while carrying emotional pain. (Drinking water, eating nourishing foods, and resting are foundational forms of self-respect and emotional support.) Nourishing foods are gifts from God, part of living in harmony with creation. Drinking water and eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats are often associated with health, balance, and gratitude for natural provision.
Move Your Body
Movement helps process stress, trauma, and loss stored within your body. This does not need to be rigorous exercise. Stretching, walking, yoga, dancing in the kitchen, or simply standing outside with the sun on your face can help regulate your emotions and exponentially improve mental clarity. In listening to a practitioner of longevity, he mentions that if one is experiencing sadness, we would benefit from making “mobility” a non-negotiable. (Gary Breka)
Read Something That Encourages Growth
Reading can provide comfort, wisdom, perspective, and hope. Whether it is a devotional, personal growth book, grief/loss resource, or inspiring message, allow yourself to consume words that support emotional healing rather than deepen our feelings of hopelessness. Consider taking 10 minutes out of your day to read something that enhances your psyche
Hold Space for Yourself
So many widows spend time caring for others while ignoring their own emotional needs. Give yourself permission to pause. Sit quietly. Cry if needed. Rest without guilt. Acknowledge your emotions without trying to immediately fix them. Emotional healing encourages compassion toward yourself. Holding space for ourselves is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves-we do not need to pretend to know it all-we can just be….
Practice Being Present
Grief and loss continually pulls us into the past, focusing on things that we are not able to fix or repair and it creates fear regarding our future. When we practice being present, this allows us to reconnect with what is happening in real time. Focus on one breath, one task, one conversation, or one peaceful moment at a time. It’s not necessary that we solve your entire future today. Consider giving yourself the gift of presence, i.e. I’m in the chair, bum sinking into the seat, shoulders back and then relaxing
Speak Kindly to Yourself
Your inner monologue matters. Replace unkind words, and self-criticism with gentleness. You are going through something incredibly challenging, extend grace to yourself. Healing is not continuous, and there is no perfect way to experience grief/loss. “Today, I’m showing up for myself, and that is incredible.”
Reach Out and Stay Connected
Isolation can intensify our loss. I would encourage you to send a text, attend a support group, call a friend, consider volunteering, or spending time around safe, supportive people; engage in self-less acts of service. Connection helps to realize that we are not by ourselves. Consider picking up the phone, sending a text, email, Facetime to a friend.
Give Yourself Permission to Grow
Loss changes us, it does not mean that our life is over. Growth after loss is attainable. Healing does not erase love, memories, or loss, it teaches us how to carry these memories differently while continuing to live. Growth does not erase love. We are not erasing history. We can allow ourselves to move forward with dignity, wisdom, strength, and resilience in our lived experiences that life has given us.
As we grow through loss, self-care becomes less about being perfect and more about being intentional, experiencing moments of compassion, resilience, and being present. Tiny daily (Glimmers; micromoments of joy, safety, connection) practices can slowly encourage us to rebuild strength, clarity, hope, and emotional balance.
I encourage you to begin where you are, with what you have, and gently show up for yourself one day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time, one second at a time.
What is one self-care action step you are willing to take for yourself today? Share in the comments below.
