April musings...

It's been a while...When I decided to start my monthly musings, I hoped that I could maintain a consistent streak, but over the past few months, life has really gotten the better of me. But fear not, I am back with a slightly revamped musing at the end of the month rather than the start but still filled with soulful goodness.

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February, March, and April have taught me many lessons, mostly through pain and grief, but in remembering the beauty of growth, I have welcomed them with open arms.

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Lesson One: Be Gentle with Yourself

Life tends to sometimes be rough, and we are sometimes not as easy on ourselves as we should be. In the busyness of life, we can forget to show ourselves the level of care we deserve and need. There is a whole movement towards prioritising self-care through activities, but let us not forget the act of showing ourselves care through the way we talk to and treat ourselves. How are we speaking to ourselves through the internal conversations we have, the way we refer to ourselves, and the way we comfort ourselves? When was the last time you said some kind words to yourself? Reassured or comforted yourself? When was the last time you congratulated yourself? When was the last time you acknowledged yourself and your situation in a positive way? All of these things matter; they shape the way we view ourselves, the way we feel, and in turn, how we experience life. Let's all challenge ourselves to be mindful of how we treat ourselves in order to improve our life experiences.

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Lesson Two: Dealing with Grief

God gives, and God takes away. Yes, it is true; however, remembering this can sometimes do little to comfort you when you are in the midst of an unexpected loss. Trying to find meaning or understanding in your grief can often dig you deeper into a hole. People tell you it will get better in time, but when you are surrounded by the grief of loss, time is not necessarily a concept that brings much comfort. Imagining a future without the person or thing you have lost may be the last thing you want to do when all you want is for them to be back with you. In the midst of the grief I have been feeling over the past few weeks, I found myself realising that in order to move forward in my healing, I needed to shift from trying to fix, heal, or deal with the feelings I felt. Instead, I needed to focus on a new way of living and existing. They say that when a loved one dies, so does a part of you. I believe the same can be applied to loss in general as well as traumatic experiences. From this perspective, death may be one ending while simultaneously beckoning a new beginning. A new way of living, a new way of being, taking with us everything from before as memories and building blocks. However, the longer we spend trying to fix or deal with what once was, the more we delay what the future holds. In this way, letting go is not leaving something behind; instead, it is using what you have left to start something new.