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Ember & Bloom Coaching

Making Room for Your Grief: A Practice We Return To

Published 19 days ago • 1 min read

Greetings From

Ember & Bloom

Hi friend,

Today I want to tell you about something I got wrong for a long time — and what finally changed when I stopped fighting so hard.

When Gary died, I was sure grief was something I would eventually get through. If I talked it out, kept busy, worked hard, journaled, held myself together well enough for long enough — surely it would fade.

It does not work that way. I spent a long time trying to stay one step ahead of the pain, and the whole time, grief was just... waiting. Patient. Right there beside me.

What finally shifted things for me wasn't getting over grief. It was learning to do one quiet thing instead — something I still practice four and a half years later, and something I think many of us are learning together.

I wrote about it this week. You can read it here:
​Making Room for Your Grief​

✦ Just for You ✦

Something to Try

This week, try making room — just once.

Pick one moment and let grief sit beside you
instead of pushing it away.

Say your person's name out loud on an ordinary day.
Let the tears come in the car,
then walk into the store anyway.
Look at a photo and let yourself smile while it aches.

You are not falling apart.
You are making room.
That is the work, and you are already doing it.

I'll meet you here again next Monday.
Until then, take one small breath and know that it is enough.

Hugs 💜💚
— Gladys

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
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Ember & Bloom Coaching

Gladys Jean Ullstam

I help widowed people to hold the ember of love and find new blooms. I believe in the power of creativity, journaling, and community to bring hope. Read my posts and visit my site for more information. Not widowed? Please share this information with any widowed people you know. Thanks.

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