“Problems can be experienced as…a chance for renewal rather than stress.”
-Marilyn Ferguson
January 1 may be a fresh start for the calendar, but grief-related stress and issues don’t get the same consideration. Grief rolls over from year to year, and whatever has accumulated over time continues to expand. This produces stress and perhaps a desire to avoid whatever lingering issues are present in an effort to “start fresh” for the new year.
Whatever lingers in grief can be use to encourage and support life change. The coming new year can encourage grievers to shed some of the problematic weight they carry from one year to the next. Realizing that one or several issues are not advancing life may motivate a griever to reevaluate life priorities, to strive for better life balance, or begin taking better care of themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Take a deep breath and consider: In what ways might the heaviness of the previous year inspire positive, stress-reducing life changes in 2021? What worries might you surrender to control, fear, or anxiety so as to omit “worrying about things I cannot control” from your daily chore list? Or start more simply: How can I better seek peace and clarity in the new year?
A.N.Carroll 