I loved these four tips to boost your recovery from the April - May 2014 AARP magazine.
1. Don't Rush It
Take time after a shock. Sometimes acknowledging and processing what has ended takes much longer then you or your loved ones would like.
2. Consult Others
Assemble a sounding board of (true) friends as advisers. Nothing is more helpful then a committed listener, who can just hear what you have to say without trying to fix anything. Then it is helpful to have a catalyst, who offers inspiration through his or her own story. Followed by a wise elder, who helps you keep your eye on the big picture.
3. Think Positive
Whether people can access positive emotions in dire circumstances is typically a matter of what kind of sense they make of the event. As an example, the reaction to a natural disaster could be 'I lost everything,' or it could be 'I'm still breathing.'
4. Recognize Your Own Strengths
After your heart is forever changed from an experience such as divorce, surviving a natural disaster or the death of a loved person or pet, people say that they now experience themselves as a different person. They see themselves as more vulnerable but stronger than they ever imagined.
