The purpose of this book is to help grievers feel supported, validated, encouraged, inspired and hopeful that they can move forward through their grief journey successfully. As vulnerable and raw as they might feel, especially if they lost their identity as a caregiver, to losing their most valuable person (MVP) and everything about their life that makes up who they are and what they love.
This book is a beacon of support to be used in partnership with a grief therapist, grief wellness coach and/or grief support community to help one through emotionally processing grief, as one falls into the grief pit, and climbs their way out, to finally finding hope.
The reader is encouraged in one’s own time, to explore a renewed sense of purpose and to feel joy again. I lived in the grief pit for what seems like a lifetime, and I will never forget how it feels. I know you can climb your way out to feel the warmth of the sun again and perhaps see those “rainbows” and other mystical surprises that remind you that you are not alone.
I invite you to be open-minded and let me guide you through my grief journey with suggestions and exercises to support your grief process. May you find connection, validation, understanding and self-discovery through your own grief experience, as different as it might be from mine.
By sharing my experience and how I found my way out to a supportive new life, I want you to know that you are not alone. You will find your way to the other side of your deep experience of grief.
As grief becomes your companion and you learn to live with it, you will begin to see your experiences differently. You can learn how to forgive yourself and others while finding new meaning and purpose. And you can explore ways to bring your relationship with your loved one forward, over time and life changes because they will be a part of your heart and life forever. You will explore how to:
- Identify your grief needs and learn how to do “Radical Self-Care and Resourcing”
- Navigate the roller coaster of complicated emotions and intense grieving
- Become a more conscious caregiver of yourself and others
- Manage your boundaries and grief around people, places and things
- Manage your expectations of yourself, and the expectations you hold of your loved ones
- Forgive your own mistakes and accept your humanness. And then try your best to do this for the important relationships with others in your life
- Rediscover who you are now and explore reinventing yourself
- Explore and discover a new sense of hope, meaning and purpose
- Build new community, supportive relationships and bring more love into your life
- Trust in your ability to move forward, living each day in gratitude, resilience, and joy
In your own way, you will work on coming to terms with what your life is without your loved one. By holding onto their memory you can continue to have your own special relationship with them. These mystical experiences that I call “rainbows” surprise us, and can bring a sense of awe like one might feel upon seeing a physical rainbow.
We’ll consider how you experience these “rainbows” in your day-to-day life. You’ll have the opportunity to explore by recognizing and interpreting the new language your loved one might be using to communicate with you from the other side.
About the Book & Cover
Sheila’s story begins, ends and continues on in connection with Secret Beach, a special place near and dear to her heart.
The waves, known as “Nalu” in the Hawaiian language are intense
at this beach. waves serve as a strong metaphor for emotions.
Sheila refers to ‘grief waves’ in her book. Like emotions, waves come and go on their own and they give us the opportunity to reflect upon our life, experiences and memories.
They are a recurring theme throughout one’s personal grief journey and her book.
The book cover was created by an award-winning graphic designer, Victoria Wolf.