There is no timeline for this, and nothing here is meant to rush you through anything. This guide is simply a place to start, at whatever pace feels true. If at any point this feels like more than you can hold alone, that is a sign to reach for support, not a sign you are doing this wrong.
Naming what you are carrying
Start by writing down, in your own words and without editing for anyone else, exactly what you lost. Not the version you say out loud when people ask how you're doing — the real one. As you write, notice which parts of your identity felt tied to what's gone: a role, a routine, a way someone saw you that no one else sees quite the same way. Naming it doesn't make it smaller. It makes it visible, which is the part that has to happen before anything else can.
Remembering you are not alone in this
Think of one person or one space where you've felt even slightly understood — it doesn't have to be someone who has lived the exact same loss. If no one comes to mind right away, that's useful information, not a failure. It may simply mean it's time to find that space, rather than proof that it doesn't exist. When you're ready, consider one small way to let someone in this week: a text, a shared meal, one honest sentence instead of 'I'm fine.'
Finding a way forward, not a way around
Notice one thing that still feels like you, even a small one — a song, a place, a way of laughing. These are threads back to yourself. When you're ready, choose one gentle action this week that honors both the loss and your life continuing. This isn't about moving on. It's about carrying it differently. And you're allowed to not know the whole path yet — rediscovering who you are after loss is not a single decision, it's many small ones.
This guide is meant to open something, not to replace real support. If grief is sitting heavier than you can hold on your own, working with someone who understands this specific kind of loss can help, and that is exactly the work Diana does.