How I'm Keeping Positive While Dealing With Another Loss

My father-in-law passed away on August 23 (not covid related). He had been living with us since April, after my mother-in-law passed away in March. His last 3 weeks this past month were spent in the hospital in palliative care and I was glad we were allowed to visit him - I don't know what we would have done if visitors were not allowed (due to covid).

I'm glad I spent the night at the hospital next to him as he took his last breath.

My husband's resilience has amazed me - imagine losing both parents within 6 months, closing the business for 3 months during the pandemic and he has been dealing with a sore back since June!

This year has been crazy for most of us, hasn't it? We have lost and gained. So how do we keep going? How do we stay positive during these times? I've been reflecting on this myself lately and here's what I've noticed:

Family support - Badur, my husband, and I are very close to both his siblings and their spouses, and having to rely on each other has been extremely helpful because it makes the pain more bearable and you have someone to lift you up when you feel down. I've learned a lot about relationships from Badur's family.

Communicating - While we were dealing with his father's illness, we also worked during this time. Being a public health professional, I was dealing with even more and it was overwhelming. The way I deal with my stress is by talking to someone I trust - Badur, and going for a walk. Every evening as we ate supper, I'd tell him how my day went and then I'd put on my walking shoes and head out to visit my father-in-law at the hospital (20 minute walk).

Faith - My life and the way I conduct myself is built around my faith. I truly believe in the spiritual connection with God and the connection with my soul. This keeps me grounded, keeps me hopeful, and grateful for things (or people in our lives) we take for granted.

How do you keep positive during these times?

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