Wednesday, April 27, 2016

How to move on after the death of a family member

Dealing with death can be very traumatic and heartbreaking, especially when it is a member of your close family. It feels like you world is ending, and it can be hard to move on. But life has to carry on; here are the best ways you can keep going after the death of your loved one.

                Image by Guilherme Yagui

Arrange a funeral

Life tends to be put on hold till the funeral of your family member. A top way to move on is to help arrange the funeral. It’s a great way of ensuring everything is perfect for the person who has passed away. If the next of kin is arranging it, talk to them about how you can help with the day. Perhaps you could arrange the catering, or sort out some songs for the church. Anyway, you can help will make you feel that you did the person justice, and ultimately will help you move on after their death.

                Image Credit

Deal with the ashes

It can be very hard to move on with your life until you have sorted out the ashes. If they are on the side, and nothing has been done with them, it will make you constantly remember the death. Arrange for your family to meet to discuss where you should go to scatter them. Hopefully, you will be able to figure out a favorite place where you can do it. Understandably, it can be hard to let go. You could keep some ashes back and contact a company such as Heart in Diamond who will create a diamond with some of the ashes. Then you can always have part of them with you.

Talk about the person

A lot of people try and ignore the subject of the individual who has passed away as it’s too painful. But to truly move on, you need to talk about the person regularly. Remembering them is good pain relief, and will allow you to think about what a great life they had. If your children want to talk about them, let them do so. Holding emotion in is never a good thing.

Spend time with other family members

Another top way to try and move on with your life is to spend time with other family members. Remember you are not alone in your grief; the best way to deal with it is to chat with your loved ones. Arrange a day out altogether or even a dinner around yours where you can spend time together.

                Image from flickr

Go to a support group

Some people find it very hard to move on with their lives, and speaking to family and friends is not enough. It might be time to go to a support group where you will be able to talk to a professional about your feelings. You can get support from others who are going through the same thing. If necessary, they might refer you to see a counselor so you can get one to one care.


To move on from the death of your loved one, you should try and lead as normal as life as possible. You will be surprised to find it will slowly get easier.