What is Grief Awareness Day?

Grief Awareness Day was founded by Angie Cartwright in 2014, in hopes to encourage open communication on loss and bereavement and better inform the public on the facts of grief. The term ‘grief’ encompasses all of the emotions around a loss, and ‘mourning’ is defined as the external expression of the pain.

As part of the human experience, grief encompasses the emotions that appear in response to loss. Sorrow and suffering, although painful, are a natural reaction to loss. Whether grieving the death of a loved one, or grieving a relationship, job loss, or other life event, the process of grief is something that comes in waves and is not linear. Every individual has a unique journey through grief, which often includes stages such as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

When is Grief Awareness Day?

In the US, National Grief Awareness Day falls on August 30 whilst in the UK, there is a dedicated week at the start of December for grief awareness.

From our expert:

We are often unprepared for how unpredictable grief is. Grief is unique yet universal, and in this juxtaposition lays the reason as to why it can sometimes feel so lonely, yet nearly every one of us experiences it as some point in our lives.

Grief moves like scribbles across a page and while one day a person may need to be alone in the safety of their own darkened room, another day they can need someone to reach out. If you know someone who is grieving, be consistent as a support system. Check in on how they are feeling and acknowledge the reason for their grief. Don’t give up and don’t take it personally if it feels as if your efforts are rebuffed. Offer direct support such a practical tasks or errands. And lend an open ear, listening without judgment.

If you are grieving, give yourself time to recognise how it’s showing up in your body.  Grief is commonly experienced physically and psychologically. Grief can show up physically as anxiety and panic attacks, changes in eating or sleeping, digestive issues, headaches and body pains, anger, and fatigue/ energy loss. Be gentle with yourself if you are grieving, and remember that these are often your body’s responses to grief.

Grief Awareness Day facts you should know

Here are a few quick Grief Awareness Day facts to know:

• It’s dedicated to raising awareness of the myriad ways in which individuals cope with loss
• The day also offers a space to share resources for those experiencing grief and an opportunity to share stories of grief and let others know they are not alone
• Coping with grief doesn’t always mean eliminating it. Instead, Grief Awareness Day reminds us that sometimes the best thing you can do is learn to live with grief in a healthy way – and that’s perfectly okay.

How to commemorate Grief Awareness Day in the workplace

There are numerous ways to commemorate Grief Awareness Day at work, including:

• Support a grieving colleague

If a colleague has shared a story of grief or loss, today is the day to be an extra support system for them. While acknowledging that everyone processes their feelings differently, offer to support your colleague in a way that feels comfortable for them and is respectful of their boundaries and privacy. It may be helpful to acknowledge, let them know that there is not pressure to respond but that you are there for them.

• Highlight workplace wellbeing initiatives

Whether that’s through an Employee Assistance Programme, or something else embedded into the wellbeing support of your workplace, shine the spotlight on them now! Give people a platform to not only share their stories but also to signpost them to helpful support systems.

• Engage in self-care

In the throes of grief, rather than attempting to push yourself onto an acceptable “grieving timeline,” remember that there is no one path for those in mourning, and engage in self-care by letting yourself feel whatever you’re feeling seek out spaces and people that feel safe. Be kind to yourself.

• Post #GriefAwarenessDay

Help Grief Awareness Day accomplish its mission of educating the public on grief by sharing what you’ve learned on social media. Creating space to hold space for grief is a support mechanism, and might just be what someone in your social circle needed to see

If you’re a member and need more support with commemorating Grief Awareness Day, contact your account manager. If you’re not yet a member, get in touch today to see how we can help.