Tulip’s 12-month Grief Support Calendar
We know it’s challenging to keep moving forward after losing a loved one. Finding grief support should be simple and accessible, like our at-a-glance monthly calendar with inspiration and guidance. Keep reading to learn more and to download your calendar.
Why We Created a Grief Calendar
Grief is an experience we do not willingly choose. As funeral professionals, we understand it is difficult to find a way through the uncomfortable feelings after someone we love dies. Yet fully acknowledging and expressing our loss helps us to (eventually) reinvest love and energy into new relationships and experiences. As the Swiss-American psychiatrist and grief expert Elisabeth Kubler-Ross wrote in On Grief and Grieving: “You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you’ll learn to live with it. You will heal and rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered.”
Every Month Offers Gentle Encouragement
Our grief support calendar each month has a gentle encouragement message, often connected to the season or observance. You’ll find links to related information on our website, social media, and trusted outside sources. We will also dig deeper into some topics in the coming months.
2023 Grief Calendar Themes:
January - Easy Does It
February – Love Yourself
March – Add Color & Music
April – Focus on Health
May – Honor Their Memory
June – Take a Break
July – Improve Social Wellness
August – Share Your Story
September – Spread Kindness
October – Ask for Help
November – Gratitude is Healing
December – Gather Together
Click here to download Tulip’s 12-month grief calendar
January’s Message: Easy Does It
The new year will feel different for many of us. And while you may have made resolutions in the past, we encourage you to focus on just one: be gentle with yourself. You cannot overcome grief; you have to go through it.
Here are a few suggestions for treating yourself with kindness this month.
Avoid comparisons.
The way you grieve is individual and often unpredictable. Don’t compare your grief journey with anyone else’s, and certainly not by what is portrayed in movies or media. You also should avoid comparing how you feel today with other losses or trauma. We don’t become immune to death simply because we’ve experienced it already – no more than we become physically fit after a single pushup.
Take your time.
Grief does not have an expiration date. Many people find that their grief lessens over time but rarely disappears. The idea that we can move on from one experience or loss in a predetermined time is ridiculous. We fail to realize the complexity and depth of grief until we are in it.
Focus on your needs.
When the world feels like it has stopped spinning, you might not think eating or sleeping is essential. But focusing on your most basic needs is more critical than ever. Eat healthy meals and drink plenty of fresh water. Get enough sleep. Remember the importance of movement, whether walking or gardening.
Ask for help (and accept it).
Losing a loved one is a life-shattering event. You do not have to get through it alone, nor should you. Now is the time for you to let others help. You would offer to help if the situation were reversed (and you will probably have the opportunity). It is not heroic to be stoic; instead, asking for and accepting help is a sign of a mature, strong individual.
Don’t miss a month of grief support – follow us on Facebook @tulipcremation.
Additional Resources
From our expert advice guides:
How to Prepare for Hard Days Ahead
What Funeral Directors Know About Grief (and you should too)