Losing a loved one is never an easy thing. For those who have experienced loss, you know the pain never truly goes away, and for those who are fortunate enough to not have experienced it yet, be sure to take in all the moments with those you love while you still can.

When you first get the news about the passing of someone you knew, your whole world changes. Your heart might drop, race, or even hurt but that is all normal. It is important to feel all your emotions, big or small and to work through them.

Whether you have lost a pet, parent, grandparent, friend, etc., your feelings matter and are valid. Don’t let others make you feel bad about grieving even if it may seem silly to them because you are allowed to feel what you want.

Losing someone leaves a hole in your heart that might not ever heal, but you can still grow from it. Having experienced a couple of important losses in my life , I know what it is like to miss what you once had.

I think one of the hardest parts of losing someone for me is accepting that although your loved one won’t be physically with you down here on Earth, they are always around and watching over you.

One of my favorite things to do is look back at photos of videos of the one I lost because I am able to jump back in time and remember the moment with them. Although sometimes I am brought to tears, I also feel a sense of happiness knowing that I was lucky enough to get to experience part of my life with them. I will cherish those moments for the rest of my life and hope that when I go, I will have left an impact on someone in the same way tha t my departed loved ones have made on me.

Grief never leaves you, but it might get easier with time. My one tip for dealing with grief is to allow time to process what happened.

Rushing back into things thinking that everything will go back to normal isn’t healthy and likely will hurt you in the long run. Talk about your feelings, your favorite memories, or even how someone can help you. Reach out, because even though it may not feel like it in the moment, someone will always be there to listen and help.