Grieving the “What would have been…”

With the semester wrapping up, many of us are missing what would have been a special time –springtime on campus, commencement, excitement for new summer jobs. We are grieving “what would have been”. With this in mind, we wanted to highlight this Harvard Business Review article which discusses grief – and its multiple forms – with grief expert, Dr. David Kessler. He discusses the “collective grief” we are all feeling, the “anticipatory grief” surrounding the uncertainty of the future, and how to continue moving forward. Dr. Kessler shares how acceptance of our current realities and losses “is where the power lies. We find control in acceptance. I can wash my hands. I can keep a safe distance. I can learn how to work virtually.” Finally, he notes to “find balance in what you’re thinking”, “come into the present”, “let go of what you cannot control”, and “stock up on compassion”. Click on the links to find some helpful ways we can integrate these tips into our own day-to-day – as we all learn to adjust to this ever-evolving new way forward.