Kindness during pet loss grief during the holidays can be challenging. Throughout your journey you may experience the sensation that your heart is numb and lost. As if it doesn’t have boundaries anymore and all the love is pouring out. And you find yourself rushing to find ways to patch it up and not let the love for your beloved companion get washed away.

Find Kindness During Pet Loss Grief

My friend—this phenomenon is not uncommon, especially around the holidays. The tenderness that you feel for your beloved companion is a love full of strength, devotion, and adoration. When we have a pet in hospice or one that has reached the end of their life—the feeling of losing what we had with them in the physical is tenuous. You may want to grab and hold on tight while the roller coaster car is flying out of control and not feel those grief sensations.

As difficult as it is to go through it is part of the grief journey with all the festivities keep in mind one of the most compassionate things you can do for yourself when the sea of grief takes over is to find a memory to fill the void that is left in your heart. Allow your emotions of loss to create something deep and meaningful in a kind, helpful and healing way. When you do this your heart may not suffer as hard or feel as lost. Kindness during pet loss grief becomes apparent and available for you to find hope again. This is a great gift to give yourself.

Many Feelings to Explore

There will be many feelings during this time—not just numbness. You may feel guilty, angry, depressed, etc. These sentiments may not make sense now but they will later. Especially if you allow your grief to happen—it’s healthy and necessary but be sure to have your tools for kindness close by. Because, you want to be ready when the flow of your raw emotions is surging through your soul. You want to be kind to those feelings and to yourself. When the stream of emotion softens or become gentler this is the period of grief where your memories of love, beauty, and compassion are able to penetrate your heart and soul.

The healing that takes place is profound and life changing. When you allow the insight for your journey to take place the empowerment of your healing is self-acquired and insightful. Your journey is between you and your companion to cherish and heal from—kindness therefore happens.

Daily Insight For Pet Loss Grief During the Holidays

Be kind to your heart as there is a piece that is missing. As difficult as it might be, feel your emotions of your pet loss grief journey and allow them to inspire a way to fill the empty space in your heart with compassion and tenderness. This is a gift you can bestow on your own soul

~ Wendy Van de Poll, MS, CEOL

Healing Steps to Find Kindness

1. In your journal make a list of all the beautiful memories you have of your beloved companion.
2. On another page make a list of things you enjoy—activities you do by yourself that make you happy.
3. After you have made these lists pick three of your top memories and three of your most favorite activities. Then celebrate those gifts you had with your companion to give you kindness during pet loss grief. Allow soft, nurturing energy flow within your soul. Be kind to your reactions.