If grief grips your heart over your loss, my conversation with Joan Hermann may help.
Change Your Attitude…Change Your Life Podcast
Listen in as Joan Hermann of Change Your Attitude…Change Your Life (CYACYL) and I talk about navigating this huge grief. We packed so much goodness into this short discussion! Listen to the podcast here.
Highlights of our discussion
For many of us, losing a pet is devastating because they’re a member of our family. We feel the grief physically and it’s hard to move on. That’s because we have looked to our animals, our pets for the experience of unconditional love.
Myths that increase our heart-gripping grief
People believe and say, “It’s only a dog, get over it.” “Get another one.” That’s a false belief; for us, they’re part of our family. We experienced a closer, more satisfying relationship with some of our animals than our human family members. They loved us and forgave our shortcomings. How can we not feel deep grief over their loss?
Others believe that when pets pass, they’re lost to us forever. That’s just not true. Maribeth connects routinely with animals who passed on, including her own dogs.
Connecting with your animals before you lose them
Joan and Maribeth discussed how to change your mindset to notice how your pets reach out intuitively right now. You need to pay attention. For instance, you may have thought “If my cat could speak, I’m sure he just said….” Well, you just connected with them!
Joan shared a wonderful story about her dog, Ginger. Sadly, Joan had not made it to the hospital before her mother died. That was a difficult outcome for Joan to accept. Strikingly, Joan’s experience with Ginger as she passed brough closure to the memory of her mother’s passing.
Release that gripping grief on your heart with these thoughts
Your being together in this life no coincidence. You chose each other, no matter what the ups and downs you experienced. They wanted to be with you.
Love is eternal. What has been created in and by love, continues beyond the physical body. Your relationship continues even after one of you is no longer on the planet.
Many people regret decisions made about the timing of their animal’s passing. But you made that decision based on love for your animal. And that love (not your regret) carried them through the transition.
Need more?
Read my #1 new release in pet loss grief, Peace in Passing: Comfort for Loving Humans During Animal Transitions Second Edition.