pet loss

Christmas tree brunch decorated with a heart hanging on it, and the title Gentle Guide for Grievers on Journeyofsmiley blog

When Christmas Feels Hard: A Gentle Guide for Grieving Hearts

1 Comment / Grief and Loss, Living Losses, Mental Health, Smiling though the pain - healing, self-care, Uncategorized / By

Christmas can stir up a thousand emotions — gratitude, joy, nostalgia — but also deep sorrow for what has changed. If this Christmas feels quieter, heavier, or lonelier, or if you find Christmas hard when grieving, please know this: you’re not alone. I understand, I’ve been there, too. I remember my first Christmas without my …

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Two pairs of hands holding across a table and the title is The tender space between Holding on and Letting go on Journeyofsmiley.com

What if Mourning Begins in Advance? Anticipatory Grief in Invisible Losses

4 Comments / Grief and Loss, Living Losses / By

Have you ever thought that perhaps grief doesn’t wait for the final goodbye? What if it starts quietly, long before the ending – in those moments when we sense that change, loss, or death is coming? Let me introduce you to a term you might know, even if you didn’t know its name: anticipatory grief. Most …

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