Exercise: Do not forget to sit with it. Acknowledge feelings as they arise.
Month 8 was the month of the first of everything alone. The first birthdays, holidays, seasons, each one its own wound.
During this period, I learned how deeply my foundation had collapsed. Chai had been my routine, my anchor, my structure. Without her, everything felt undefined. I did not recognise myself.
I discovered my autism diagnosis during this time, which brought relief and clarity. Suddenly, my patterns, sensitivities, routines, and overwhelm made sense. It did not remove the grief, but it gave me a framework to understand myself in a new way.
This month required enormous self compassion. Each trigger taught me something. Each meltdown showed me where my boundaries were. Each day mattered simply because I got through it.
Exercise for August:
When feelings arise, sadness, loneliness, exhaustion, sudden grief, pause. Let them be. Sit with them. Acknowledge that they are part of your story. You do not have to fix anything now.
Just feel what you feel.
About the Author: Elizabeth Blake-Thomas
