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Grieving the Loss of Unmet Expectations, Hopes, & Dreams

January 4, 2023
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Have you ever reflected on your life and thought, “I never imagined my life would look like this.” For some, this thought can bring feelings of excitement, joy, and gratitude. But for many others, this same thought brings about feelings of sadness, disappointment, and even anger.

Like with the loss of a loved one, grief can show up for us when we experience the loss of unmet expectations, hopes, and dreams. Perhaps you always dreamed of moving out of state, but instead you’re living in your hometown. Or maybe you always hoped for a nurturing relationship with your mom, yet all these years later, that longing still hasn’t been met. When ungrieved, these losses can hang over us and may even lead to resentment, shame, depression, or anxiety.

So what do we do? As with any loss, we can move towards healing through the process of grieving.

How to Grieve the Loss of Unmet Expectations, Hopes, and Dreams

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Grief

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Dreams
Expectations
Hopes

An Unwelcome Guest

December 27, 2022
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There's a winter storm taking place outside and every weather channel is asking that you stay home. But what if they knew that the holidays sometimes feel so much worse than driving in the crazy snow?

A season that is often spoken of as a time for "family" and "joy" often brings about much grief and anxiety as one spends time reflecting on the "has been's" and "could be's" of life. How is it possible to feel sad during the happiest time of the year?

Grief might seem like an unwelcome guest at the holiday table, and might take on many different forms. It might look like reminiscing the past, memories of losing a loved one, dying relationships, or loneliness that comes with change this time of year.

When it comes to our grief, it can feel more comfortable to pretend it doesn't exist and spend the time avoiding it like we do the plague. But what if the presence of grief was to aid you, rather than hurt you?

Allo ...

Posted in:

Grief

Tags:

Emotions
grief

Happy Holidays?

December 18, 2022
1 Comment

What it is about the holiday season that brings with it some of the most complex emotions? Beginning as early as November, we hear Christmas music on the radio, blithely heralding in the season, and the smell of confections permeate the air, and yet what isn’t to love about yuletide? With all the messages
of good cheer and “to all a good night,” and “God bless us everyone,” it can be confusing when we can’t access holly jolly feelings.
It’s less confusing for therapists on the other side of these conversations.
As you process mixed feelings about the holidays, it can be helpful to keep some of the following in mind. Holidays represent a great deal more than celebration and fun. They represent a change in the season, the passage of time, tradition and ritual, as well as opportunities for relational conflict. These can all significantly impact our mental health for a number of reasons:
Rituals in December represent another ...

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Posted in:

Family

Holidays

Tags:

change

grief