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The ebb and flow of grief can overwhelm us with waves of memories when someone unexpectedly dies.

Grief will also magnify the stress that is already a part of the holiday season. How do we begin to fill the emptiness we feel when it seems everyone else is overflowing with joy? There are some strategies to help you cope.

1-Offer Yourself Some Grace

The best thing you can do this holiday season is be kind to yourself. Give yourself permission to feel whatever it is your feeling. Don’t fall prey to the belief that you have to feel a certain way or do certain things for your holiday to be “normal.” If you feel sad, allow the tears to come; if you feel angry, allow yourself to vent some steam.

2-Be Kind to Yourself

Get the rest and nourishment you need. Don’t take on any more than you can handle. If you need to be alone, honor that. If you crave the company and affection of others, seek it out. Do whatever it is that feels right to you.

3-Ask For and Accept Help

This is no time to feign strength and independence. You will need the help and support of others to get through. Don’t feel as though you are a burden. People get immense satisfaction and joy from helping those they care about.

In times of need, other people desire to help but often don’t know how. This is the time for you to speak up and make your needs known. If you need someone to help you with meals, shopping, or errands, tell them so. They will be delighted to feel like they are helping you in some way.

The same holds true for your emotional needs. Friends and family may feel uncomfortable when it comes to talking about your grief. They may think that you don’t want to talk about it and don’t want to remind you of your pain. If you want to talk about what you’re going through or just want a shoulder to cry on, let your loved ones know.

Read: Pioneering Music Producer Chris Lighty Dies In Apparent Suicide

4-Find Support

Sharing your feelings is the best way to get through them. You need people you can talk to. Friends and relatives can be a great support to us during times of grief, but they are sometimes full of their own grief or so immersed in the business of everyday life that they cannot be a support to you. Support groups for caregivers and the bereaved are plentiful. Check with local churches, community centers, and hospice agencies to find a group that suites you. Support group members often make friends that end up being a source of support for years to come.

5-Remember That You Will Survive

As hard as it is for you right now, you will survive.  It may be the most difficult season in your time of grief, but it will pass. And when it does, you will come out on the other side stronger than before. Following traumatic events, guilt may be a complicated part of traumatic response; it is among the symptoms associated with more pronounced traumatic reactions.

The best gift you can give anyone you love, even someone you have lost, is being true to yourself and living your life to the fullest.There are always regrets after someone dies–things said or not said, done or not done. Under normal circumstances, the people whom you cared for or loved knew that you cared even if you aggravated each other. The death of someone close amplifies our awareness of the finiteness of our earthly lives and current relationships.  Recognizing this is an opportunity to honor the deceased and others who are close to us by valuing life and relationships and behaving accordingly.

Here are some songs to soothe your soul at this time.

How To Cope With Tragedy & Grief  was originally published on elev8.com