Managing your grief with creative outlets.

Grief is a challenging experience for everyone, and even those who seem to cope well often face significant struggles. This is why learning how to manage your grief is as crucial as the act of grieving itself, as it helps prevent becoming overwhelmed by sorrow.

One effective way to navigate through grief is by engaging in creative outlets, this article highlights how…

What are creative outlets

Creative outlets consist of a range of different activities, such as art and writing. The reasons these outlets are so useful is because they can help individuals to express more complex emotions that might be difficult to verbalise. 

Creative outlets and grief tie hand in hand with communication and expressing oneself. 

Outside of expression, another reason creative outlets are so useful is they can help people to release emotions. Regardless of the outlet you choose, be it writing or poetry, by spending time on these creative activities people are given the opportunity to ‘externalise our feelings and let them out in a safe and controlled way’. 

Ultimately creative outlets are a way for individuals to express their feelings, process their feelings and to gain control over how they are feeling with their loss. By creating something or taking part in something people are able to take back some control. 

You might be wondering, what are some creative outlets that you can try to manage your grief?

Different creative outlets and their benefits

There are many different creative outlets, all of which will and won't appeal to different individuals. As such finding the perfect creative outlet for you is crucial.

Writing:

Writing and/or journalling can be used as a safe space for reflection. It allows people to try and piece together their feelings, and make sense of their grief. Often, people struggle to talk about how they feel, and so writing these feelings down is the next best thing. 

Given its creative freedom, writing can be a deeply personalised and engaging way to navigate the grieving process. In fact, it can also be an impactful way of preserving memories of loved one, ultimately working to provide emotional relief and reduce stress.

Art:

By creating visual art, whether it's a painting, a drawing, maybe even a scrap book, people can express how they feel. Art is a great way to process and explore different emotions, its why often times when people look at pieces of art they end up feeling things. And, as such, it's a great way to form connections with those who might feel a similar way to you.

Music:

One thing you might do to handle your grief is to experiment with music.

For example, you might decide to write a song that reminds you of the individual you lost. This is a great way of remembering your loved one, and can help you to express how you're feeling through the songs you choose.

This doesn’t mean you have to learn to play an instrument; rather, it encompasses several ways to honour and remember your loved one.

Composing a Piece of Music: Create a musical composition that reflects your feelings of loss and remembrance. This can be a meaningful tribute that captures your emotions during this time.

Learning to Play an Instrument: If your loved one played a specific instrument or enjoyed the sound of it, learning to play that instrument can be a heartfelt tribute. This activity provides a constructive way to channel your grief and keeps you engaged in a manner that encourages remembrance.

Creating a Playlist: Put together a playlist of songs that remind you of your loved one and write about the significance of each song. This playlist can be shared with others who knew them, offering a collaborative space for shared memories and reflections. It could also serve as a source of inspiration for selecting songs for their funeral or memorial service.

Alternatively you might simply make a playlist with songs that encompass how you feel, lots of people do this in order to express how they are feeling.

Overcoming Creative Blocks

During times of grief, you might encounter resistance or hesitation when trying to engage in creative activities. Here are some strategies to overcome these creative blocks:

Start Small: Begin with short, manageable tasks to reduce the pressure of creating something significant. Write a few sentences, sketch for a few minutes, or play a familiar song. Gradually increase the time you spend as you feel more comfortable.

Set Regular Times: Establish a routine by dedicating specific times each day or week to your creative activities. Consistency can help build a habit and make the process feel more natural and less daunting. It's also a good way of ensuring you keep regular habits and don't get lost in your grief.

Be Kind to Yourself: Accept that your creative output doesn't have to be perfect. The goal is expression and healing, not producing a masterpiece. Allow yourself to create without judgement.

Final thoughts:

People think of grieving and they think of the pain that comes along with that, when in fact there are lots of ways that you can grieve in a positive and productive way. By using creative outlets for grieving, you guarantee that you are both expressing and processing how you're feeling.