My wife died recently. I found it devastated beyond words experiencing depths of anguish and despair beyond my imagination. My wife was 72 years old and we were together for 46 wonderful years and were fortunate to have 3 wonderful children and 6 grandchildren.

For a long time I have been interested in personal development. Involved in the foundations of Moodscope with Jon and Caroline, my interests were to help people to positively manage their mental health. Struggling with overwhelming grief, my natural instincts were to try and understand it and find ways to manage it. 

I researched and studied the advice on grief. I started to understand the process I was going through from my initial shock, denial, anger at the seeming injustice, despair and the slow reluctant acceptance. It helped to understand although nothing takes away the grief. 

What really helped, and this is the perspective I want to share, is this;-

“Don't try and make the grief smaller - make your life bigger to contain it.”

I am trying to accept my new reality of being alone. I am also trying to create a new larger life based around my passion and containing, and hopefully celebrating our old life as one part of the new.

If you have experienced grief, what has worked for you?

Best

Adrian x

The Moodscope Team