People often believe the goal of grieving is to get over your loss – as if there is a final point where the pain of loss disappears. This is the myth. In truth you don’t get over it, but you do eventually integrate the reality of the loss into your life.
The goal of grieving is to move from the intellectual understanding that your loss is real, to your mind, heart, and soul accepting your loss.
This does not mean that you forget, it simply means that you understand both mentally and emotionally that this is your new reality. You allow yourself to stop fighting against your loss and instead start to engage in the world again. Healing comes as you develop a new sense of self and learn to navigate your new daily life and social roles.
This does not mean that you stop experiencing the overwhelming emotions of loss, but those emotions will become less intense and will ebb and flow.
