Grief in Healthcare #3

Factors in how we handle grief

Previously we discussed the double-edged sword of having a caring heart while working in healthcare. We do our work well when we care, but we also open ourselves up to pain.

There are many factors that influence how we experience and navigate grief and loss. Some of these are deeply personal, while others stem from the world around us. In this blog, we’ll focus on the personal factors—those inner signals and patterns that shape our capacity to cope and to care for ourselves.

In the rush of daily life, it’s easy to become disconnected from our bodies and the messages they’re sending us. Most of us can recall a day when we stayed up too late, skipped meals,woke up with a headache and wished we could stay under the covers. While that may not happen every day, imagine placing your overall sense of wellbeing on a scale: 1 is when you feel grounded, energized, and ready to engage with the day, and 10 is when you feel overwhelmed, depleted, or stretched far too thin.

What helps you get closer to a one? Is it quality sleep, nourishing food, meaningful connection, rest, or time away from obligations?

And on the other end of the scale, what pushes you toward a ten? Long work hours, illness, competing demands, lack of rest, or not pausing to eat?

Unlike the pain scale—where the goal is zero or little pain—most of us will operate somewhere in the middle. The key is recognizing your own early warning signs that you’re drifting toward the higher, more stressful end. For example, my first clue is that I am short with my kids over minor things. For others, it might be changes in sleep patterns, difficulty concentrating, or feeling emotionally flat.

Name 3 of your warning signs:

1.

2.

3.

Over the next few days or weeks, make a plan to check in with yourself at different times and places. Where are you sitting on that 1-10 scale? What’s going on that is influencing that?

In the next blog, we will discuss ways to manage some of these daily stressors. Until then, stay strong and find peace.

Michelle