Losing your parent is like losing your sense of home

No matter your age, your mother and father are your home base—the ones you turn to when you’re feeling happy or sad; the place you go for a home-cooked meal, encouragement, and unconditional love. They’re the glue that holds the family together. And without your mother or father, you’re likely feeling displaced, orphaned—and alone.

At LiveBold, we understand what you’re going through. And we’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in your pain. The complex emotions you’re experiencing are common, and even to be expected.  

The death of a parent creates grief and challenges unlike any other loss. As you navigate your feelings and experiences, these suggestions can serve as a compass to help you take steps forward:

Be honest with how you’re feeling

Whether you’re feeling sad, angry, abandoned, guilty, relieved that your parent is no longer suffering, or everything in between, it’s normal. But by acknowledging and naming these emotions, you can navigate them one by one and find ways to manage them and lessen their intensity.

“Grief comes in waves. You can’t control that process, and it doesn’t have to look a particular way. Instead of 

Reach out for support

Loneliness. Exhaustion. Sadness. Confusion. Grief can cause all these experiences and more—making it difficult to keep your mind from circling down a negative path and causing you to want to isolate yourself. This is why it’s more important than ever to find supportive, uplifting friends who will sit with you, encourage you, and pray with you. 

Journal your thoughts during life’s milestones

You always imagined your mom and dad being there for life’s most important moments: walking you down the aisle, experiencing the birth of their grandchildren, birthday celebrations, new jobs, graduations, and more. And now that they’re gone, you’re not only grieving their loss but also what could have been.

Understand that grief changes over time

Immediately after the loss of your mother or father, the pain will feel overwhelming, suffocating, and raw. But it’s important to know that over time, the intensity of the grief will lessen.