7 Tips For Grieving The Loss Of A Pet
Updated 2024.12.16
As you experience the grief of a loved one, you realize how resilient you are, and how much you really do have the ability to carry through and carry onward.
When you're put in situations of loss, we realize our own toughness and how much of a will to live and survive the human Spirit really has.
You may make more of an effort to get up and get going each day.
And over time, you will strive to continue to fulfill your life's joy, and purposely desire to become a better, more loving person.
These are the things that happen on a positive note when faced with loss.
On a neutral note, you may experience physical symptoms from the grief and even desire a change in life path.
This is normal as you grieve, because, as you process, you will naturally start to contemplate your new life as you expand and fill the gap your loved one once filled.
So if you’re grieving the loss of a pet, remember these few things:
#7 Know this too shall pass
It's not going to be this hard to get up in the morning, and this hard to keep focus throughout the day forever.
In the Buddhist tradition, it takes 49 days for the soul to transition to their next life, and during this time, grief tends to be most active.
So if you are still in this period, try to be more gentle on yourself, and know that the golden window of relief tends to come around six to seven months after a transition.
Everyone grieves differently, so you may notice waves of feeling betterness within the first couple of months. Grief comes in waves, and these waves tend to stabilize within the year with the assistance of active mood management - which brings us to our next tip.
#6 Increase your self care
When grief weighs down the energy field, it looks like a dark, heavy cloud and it can feel that way. So during this time, you’ll want to counteract low moods with increased self care.
Take one moment now and ask, what can I do to make my space feel more cozy and safe?
Do that action.
Once you’ve done that, ask, is there anything I can do right now to nurture my mind and body?
Do that thing.
#5 Think positively
We think thousands of thoughts each day. When someone passes away, negative thoughts have a tendency to feel amplified. As part of the healing process, you’ll want to start practicing intentionally guiding your thoughts to the positive.
Start now. What are 5 things you’re grateful for?
Do not let negative thoughts have their way with you. Take some time every day to grieve, then begin walking yourself towards the now, by using positive thoughts.
It’s okay if the thoughts are basic like - I’m grateful for the hot shower I had today, I’m grateful to be somewhere warm and dry, I’m grateful for the food I had to eat today, I’m grateful for the means I had to acquire food, I’m grateful for electric heat, etc.
Once you practice basic positive thoughts for modern marvels you’re privileged to have, then you want to amplify it to luckiness - I’m lucky I have an income, I’m lucky to have a home, I’m lucky to have music whenever I want it, etc.
#4 Know your loved one wants you to be happy
When experiencing the loss of my dog, I would see flashes of her everywhere. I would see images of her outside in the yard, waiting to go outside by the back door, sitting down at my feet. I would even sense her as I was waking up in the morning only to realize she was gone.
Some of these are examples of the way our pets visit us when they pass.
See if these images can get you to smile, because they are only part of the process of your pet, dog, cat, bird, letting you know they are still with you and wanting to get you to smile again, too.
If you are having memories of the loss that don't bring pleasure, you can pause and ask your mind, Spirit, or your Higher Self, "Please show me a memory of the good." Another brain command I like is, “Show me something loving or happy.”
Watch how fast what images you see in your memory changes.
Our animals indeed do stay with us and become a part of us in Spirit. Accepting this, and these memories can be the start of a new relationship that allows you to continue the bond healthfully for many years to come.
#3 Prepare food for yourself
Loss of appetite is common for someone dealing with grief, and it may be difficult at first to get together meals.
So as best you can, try to prepare simple meals of just a few ingredients in advance and eat them. You may have to encourage yourself to eat if grief affects you that way, and that's okay.
Maybe only one ingredient meals, like having a banana, for example, or some crackers, or nut butter if you can have it. Even kids snacks can be great to have on hand for days when you are particularly needing a boost.
Food is nourishing to the body, and you'll want to eat to hold your strength as you make life changes moving forward toward a state of happiness.
#2 Get out of the house
At first, take any invitation out of the home you can - say yes to offers of connection. Even if you just go to the grocery store, you'll want to get out of the house and go be amongst the energy of others as frequently as possible.
Grief washes a grey mist onto things that can be difficult to shake off.
For some people, it settles in at night, and for others, it settles in the morning. For others, it can settle in during the late afternoon lull.
Notice what time of day it tends to settle in for you and think of things you can do to lift your mood during that time. Maybe there’s a movie you meant to watch or chores that need to be done. Either way, it seems to be easier to shake it off when you get up and get moving.
#1 Use this time to develop your happiness arsenal
While there is no technical timeline, I feel active grief can last up to a year after a soul-friend dies, such as a long term pet or another companion.
The initial shock is usually the strongest within the first ten days. The adjustment then lasts anywhere between six to twelve weeks. I mention this timeline in a few other blogs, too, such as in this one on visitation dreams and this one about how spirit communicates.
So, during this time, I suggest building a happiness arsenal.
Find out what clothes, music, fragrances, foods, supplements, and people make you feel happiest and most you. Start to work on bringing these things into your life and carrying backups when needed.
You can do this by thinking to yourself next time a grief moment hits, "What would make this moment a little easier for next time?"
Then pray, find, or source that for next time, and have it with you. Each time you do this, the grief moments become lighter and lighter, and it's easier to ease out of the feelings.
It can be as simple as buying a box of tissues next time you see one to blow your nose.
Even if you lost someone who was your world, you still have a life to live, and these are just a few ways I've found to be inspiring to keep going.
To recap, when grieving the transition of a pet
Photo of happy puppy overlooking countryside by Dave Francis from Pixabay
#1
Develop a happiness arsenal
#2
Get out of the house, find and accept all invitations
#3
Make simple foods in advance, have snacks on hand
#4
Use mind visuals or visitations to cultivate memories of the good times
#5
Dedicate yourself to positive thinking
#6
Increase your self care
#7
Know this will pass
When going through an emotional experience or life structure shift, it may feel like the way you're feeling now is the way you'll feel forever. But all things will change, including how you feel and how your life looks now.
Staying tuned to positive sources of energy can be essential to rising above any situation that you're in, including one of grieving. The loss of a loved one, whether it's a human, a pet, or a dear friend, can be challenging, and it can take over a year to adapt.
During this time, your interests may change, and you may find that a new person is birthed within you. Hopefully, a more joyful one, as you remember all the good times you had with your pet and all the happy moments you both shared.
The end of one life typically initiates the start of a new beginning, so many people find that through loss, they are born again. This new birth can come as a change of thought patterns, a change in the way you value your own health and body, or a new zest for the purpose in your life.
Whatever it is, grief can lead us to the light, so, however, it may be feeling now, continue to look to the sun, and know that this too shall pass.
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