The pain and sadness you feel after losing a pet can be immense—you can’t compare your bond with them to any other relationship in your life. Working through this grief and alleviating your pain after the passing of a pet can be difficult. With grief comes healing; use the following tips to help you through this turbulent time.
Give Yourself Permission To Grieve
Let’s be honest; our pets were important family members who were there when we needed them the most. Now that they’re gone, you might be processing your thoughts and feelings differently. Grief is still heavy regardless of the type of life you lost—don’t tell yourself you have nothing to be sad over. You just lost your best furry friend; allow yourself permission to grieve so that you can start to heal.
Write in a Journal
Sometimes, writing down your thoughts and emotions is the best alleviant for pain. By putting your thoughts into words, you can understand your feelings better and how to process your grief. Organizing your thoughts and experiences will make everything less chaotic because you’re giving yourself more control over your emotions.
Plan a Memorial or Funeral
Often, planning a memorial or funeral can help give you closure. A common misconception after pet loss is that a funeral doesn’t serve a purpose for a pet. This is far from the truth; no matter whom you lost, a funeral can provide you with closure, and it encourages support during your time of need.
Plan a Fun Activity To Do
You won’t be helping yourself if you sit there and dwell on the fact that your fur companion is gone. Taking your mind off of things for a little while can be beneficial in allowing you to heal. Consider asking friends or family to do a fun activity like watching a movie, going to the park, cooking a meal, etc. This can help uplift your mood so that you aren’t constantly in the cycle of grief and sadness.
Go for a Walk
Another way to get your endorphins pumping and alleviate the pain you might be feeling after the loss of a pet is to go for a nice walk. Don’t hide away in your house after your dog or cat passes—they would want you to get outside! Taking a short walk around your neighborhood is great for getting your blood pumping and releasing endorphins.
It won’t be easy to transition to life without your furry friend, but there are ways you can help lessen the pain and sadness you might be feeling. Surround yourself with family and friends; you should never be alone during this experience. Your pet will stay with you in your heart, and they would want you to be happy for them!
