The Sassy Agnostic Girl’s Guide to Loss and Grief Resources

Dear Friend,

Recently I shared the two key components for living through loss – read about it here. {No, really please go read that post now. This information is for NOW not later.}.

Three months into the loss of my mom and I’ve found some resources that have helped me tremendously. The crazy thing about losing someone you love is that each loss is super personal – what helps one person, doesn’t help someone else.

As someone who doesn’t practice any organized religion, I was happy to find these practical and spiritual resources to help me through the first few months.

Here’s a list of what has really helped me the last few months:

Books I loved:

The Five Ways We Grieve by Susan Berger. I devoured this in the days following my mom’s death. I am an information seeker by nature and this book comforted my classifying and categorizing brain like no other.

Broken Open: How Difficult TImes Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser. Either we stay stuck in not wanting anything to change (like that is even possible) or we really let ourselves get down with our pain in order to let it change us. I love this book so much I want to marry it.

The Power of Receiving: A Revolutionary Approach to Giving Yourself the Life You Want and Deserve by Amanda Owen – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Grief is hard work and is best not done alone. It is so hard to accept help when we need it. This book can help.

Books I Haven’t Finished Yet But Came to Me HIGHLY Recommended and Will BE Finished By :

Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach

True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart also by Tara Brach

In person support group

Here in Sacramento we are lucky to have free and religion-free drop in grief support. Check for hospice or grief resources in your area if you think you might want some support. — I am a fairly private introverted person, so I was surprised by how much I wanted to attend a support group.

Just 12 days after my mom died, I went to my first session. I was extremely comforted by being in the company of others who had also experienced loss. For the first few months, I only wanted to talk to people who had experienced loss. I plan to keep attending drop in sessions and I may also go to a parent loss group as well.

Most Helpful BLOG in the entire world:

What’s Your Grief 101 – helpful posts include:

and about a gazillion more helpful posts (where you don’t find out you are crazy, just grieving…)

What’s Your Grief Podcast – grief support for those who want to listen

People, I am a READER. Sometimes it is way easier to listen instead of reading because you are simply too tired to be bothered to read. Did I mention how exhausting grief can be?

Which brings me to the self-care piece of grief.

Holy cow, grieving people, SLEEP.
Nap.
And sleep some more.

Also practice calming things like meditation and restorative yoga.

Grief is hard work and you don’t have to do it alone. .

With lots of self-kindness and love,

Tami xox

PS – If something in this (or any post) resonates with you and you think someone you know might like it too, please forward it to a friend.

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Other posts you might enjoy:

Two Key Components of Living Through Loss

M inimalist Parenting (good ideas – NOT just for parents!)

People Say the Nicest Things