For the last 6 weeks, Farm Safety Nova Scotia has been following Dr Bill Howatt of Howatt HR in weekly webinars on mental fitness. Each week, he has focused on a micro skill to help maintain mental fitness during this pandemic. Micro skills learned each week have included Tactics for Maintaining Mental Fitness, Gratitude, Social Connection, Understanding Stress, Insulating for Anxiety, and Social Contagion. If you would like to view these webinars in full visit maintainingmentalfitness.com or for summaries of the webinars with links to resources go to the Farm Safety Nova Scotia Website.
This week during Dr Howatt’s webinar, we learned about coping with grief and regret. I have always associated grief with a loss of a person, but I learned this week we can feel grief when experiences or abilities are removed from our lives too. Understanding the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in immediate changes and also may result in long lasting changes, can cause us to grieve for what is lost. In a time of change, Journal 45 may be a great tool to explore a new beginning.
Some of the losses experienced in this pandemic may include a devastating loss of a loved one, social interaction, sense of safety, and community participation.
Grief is a normal response to such losses. It is a process that cannot be rushed and it is not linear. There may be stages of grief but each stage can happen at any given time or even be repeated. The stages of grief may include denial, isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Signs of grief can vary to include confusion, disbelief, sense of presence, preoccupation, upset stomach, breathlessness, tight chest, and muscle pain.
It is key to identify why you are grieving.
- Name what you are missing.
- Focus on the now.
- Identify what you can control.
- Exercise self-compassion.
Do not belittle your feelings and understand that it is ok to be upset.
To help with grief, allow time to grieve and get help.
- You can do this anonymously through grief cafes online.
- Call the Farm Family Support Center (1-844-880-9142 or https://www.workhealthlife.com/).
- Ask someone you trust for help.
- Show others kindness, love, care and compassion.
- Find time for Joy.
