>Many people believe that you only grieve death, but all losses are important to grieve.
One of my significant losses includes the loss of my job.
When I retired, it was my own doing, but it still took me some time to grieve the loss of friends, the patients where I worked, and the feeling that I was contributing to society by holding down a job for many years.
I also felt that I contributed to my patients’ welfare. Helping them was important to me. My life was meaningful when I worked.
If you are considering retiring from your job soon, consider the consequences and the time it will take for you to get used to not working. I still work part-time, so I have not completely retired! This was a good idea for me because it helped to smooth the transition of not working at all. I recently decided to do some volunteer work, and this has helped me with having meaningful activities to do.

Another painful grieving period was the loss of my marriage. It was not my idea to get divorced, so it was a very long grieving process for me. Make sure that you realize how much time you truly need to grieve your losses. You may also want to consider seeking out a counselor to help you along the way.

When I was a child, I remember people who grieved the death of their spouse, and how they wore black clothing for a year. My grandmother was one of the grievers that knew it would take a long time.
Today, people tell you, “get over it, and get on with your life.” They do not realize that you need to grieve, it helps so very much with the healing process.
So whatever you may be grieving right now-take your time and take a step-by-step approach to healing from your pain.