Author Archives: ancarroll

Monday Meditation: Give me an “I”

Grief is overwhelming, and grievers may frequently turn to their grief supporters for help getting through the initial trauma of loss and then healing. Some grief supporters are really great at being there for the griever in their lives, others aren’t as helpful. While being surrounded by amazing support is important for grievers, even theContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Give me an “I””

Monday Meditation: Fight or Flight

Grief throws many things at you in fast succession; it is overwhelming. Grievers may barely get a break between one thing and the next. Sometimes it’s hard to breathe; reality can feel too real at times and it can be tempting to avoid it or numb ourselves to forget about it.

Monday Meditation: Open With Loving-Kindness

It is easy to become angry and bitter after losing a loved one. Finding or feeling joy and hope seems impossible. We may even feel that the loss is somehow a punishment, an action taken by the universe to ruin our lives. We may even lash out at others, finding long-lasting comfort in the angerContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Open With Loving-Kindness”

Grief 101: Anger

The following series of posts outlines the traditional “stages” of grief as presented in Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s On Death and Dying (1969). The stages are: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. This post addresses anger. Please see my post called “The Five Stages of Grief” for a brief discussion of the five-stages. Anger is perhaps theContinue reading “Grief 101: Anger”

Monday Meditation: Sorting the Mess

If you’ve ever moved, you know how stressful it is to be surrounded by a mess that you have to put away. But, before you can put anything away, you have to figure out where everything is going to go, and to do that, first you have to organize the rooms and furniture. Then, afterContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Sorting the Mess”

Monday Meditation: Tomorrow was, Today is…

At first, grief days may be a whirlwind of chaos and disbelief. Then they may settle into long stretches populated with questions like ,”What now?” Nights seem longer at first, endless even. One or the other may seem more daunting as you wonder how to get through another day or night without your loved one.Continue reading “Monday Meditation: Tomorrow was, Today is…”

Contemplative Craft

I have long paired crafting with suffering. Crafting brings a meditative moment to life, helps reduce stress, and melts chaotic elements (if only for a short time). I have crocheted and knit for over twenty years and have had various iterations of craft shops. Now, my shop and my craft have a greater purpose: toContinue reading “Contemplative Craft”

Monday Meditation: A Chance to Renew

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 “startContinue reading “Monday Meditation: A Chance to Renew”