5 Gentle Rituals That Help Me Heal After Loss

Grief has a way of taking the ground out from beneath you.

When I lost my mom, I wasn’t prepared for how it would ripple into every part of my life. Some days I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Other days, I’d go through the motions for my boys, but inside I was breaking.

What helped me slowly come back to myself wasn’t one big “aha” moment — it was tiny, daily rituals. Gentle practices that gave me a place to pour my emotions, to ground my body, and to feel a little less alone.

These rituals don’t erase the pain, but they create space for healing. Maybe they can do the same for you.

1. Journaling My Way Through Grief

Writing became my release valve. Some days it was messy — scribbles of anger, sadness, and questions. Other days it was softer — memories of my mom, or gratitude lists that reminded me life still held beauty.

If you’re new to journaling, a guided journal can help. I love A Daughter's Grief Journal: Daily Prompts and Exercises for Navigating the Loss of Your Mother https://amzn.to/48ca9mQ , because it doesn’t demand perfection — it simply gives you prompts to start exploring your thoughts and feelings. Sometimes just answering one small question can open the door to release.

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2. Lighting a Candle

There’s something sacred about flame. Some days when feeling heavy, I light a candle for my mom. It’s a reminder that her light still lives in me, even on the hardest days. That little glow has become an anchor in the dark.

3. Morning Walks in Silence

On days I wake feeling weighted down with the pain, silence can feel unbearable. But walking in silence has been medicine. I notice the wind, the sound of leaves, the way my body still moves forward even when my heart feels stuck. Through the years I have found this extremely helpful, like a reset button has been pressed.

4. Speaking Gentle Affirmations

Grief is loud with doubt and pain. I counter it with whispers: “I am allowed to feel. I am allowed to heal. I am becoming stronger even now.” Writing them on sticky notes or saying them aloud helps rewire my inner voice. When I was particularly struggling, writing them on the mirror and saying them at the beginning of every day was a common practice.

5. Creating Space for Tears

One of the hardest lessons: not to rush past the tears. Now, when they come, I create space for them. A song, a memory, a moment of release — it’s not weakness. It’s love still alive. I always tell others who find themselves struggling to keep the tears at bay. Let them flow. Feel it. Your grief needs release, let it out.

Final Thoughts

Healing doesn’t look like “getting over it.” It looks like building little rituals that keep you grounded while your heart learns to beat around the cracks. These are only a very few of the tricks and tools you can use on your path to healing.

You don’t have to heal all at once. You just have to start with one gentle ritual.

Love - Brit