National Grief Awareness Day
According to www.NationalToday.com, the US celebrates National Grief Awareness Day on August 30. The day is dedicated to raising awareness of the various ways in which individuals cope with loss. The NationalToday.com website offers resources to those going through personal losses and reminds us to support people we know who are grieving.
Mission StigmaFree - Grief
Applying my discovery process of Mission StigmaFree, on August 30th, I will digest available awareness and stigma information that exist around grief. My discoveries will be shared in my blog. In the meantime, review the keys ways to observe the day and the key importance in the points below pulled directly from the NationalToday.com website for convenience.
Key ways TO OBSERVE NATIONAL GRIEF AWARENESS DAY
Support a grieving friend – If a friend has been honest with you and shared a current story of grief or loss, today is the day to be an extra shoulder for them to cry on. While acknowledging that everyone processes their feelings differently, offer to support your friend in whatever way they need.
Engage in self-care – In the throes of grief, a normal human response to loss, self-judgment, and anger are not productive emotions. Rather than attempting to push yourself onto an acceptable “grieving timeline,” remember that there is no one path for those in mourning, and engage in self-care by letting yourself feel whatever you’re feeling.
Post #NationalGriefAwarenessDay – Help National Grief Awareness Day accomplish its mission of educating the public on grief by sharing what you’ve learned on social media. Creating space for any kind of reaction to loss is healthy for you, and might just be what someone in your social circle needed to see.
WHY NATIONAL GRIEF AWARENESS DAY IS IMPORTANT
It raises awareness – Many people — both who have and haven’t experienced significant losses — don’t have a firm grasp on what grief is and how to cope with it. Spreading awareness on grief to the general public helps to better support those who are grieving and gives those who are not tools for when they encounter grief someday.
It saves lives – For some, grief can turn into dangerous and lonely depression. It’s essential to support yourself and others while going through a loss, as a reminder that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
It offers resources – It can be hard to find the resources and organizations you need while grieving. National Grief Awareness Day can greatly help by connecting mourners to the psychological, emotional, and even financial resources they need to cope with their losses.