Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 72° Today's Paper


Live Well

Column: Coping with the loss of loved ones

About 33 people die in Hawaii every day, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It seems like more and more I’m getting asked by people who are grieving how they can best cope. Here are a few ways to move through this difficult time:

Acknowledge “signs” from the departed. I believe that we are far more than our physical body, and when going through times of grief, it helps to consider that our spirit and soul are infinite and timeless in nature. Anytime you think of your departed loved one, trust that it’s their spirit that initiated the connection. Your loved ones are constantly and consistently with you, only now in a different form.

Look for love. The more you look for love, the more love you will find. Start small by focusing on what is stable, good and certain in your life. Love and joy are always present. In times of grief we have try harder to look for it.

See the opportunity. One thing we do know is that we don’t know when our time on Earth will be complete. We might have fair warning. We may not. The gift of death presents an opportunity for each of us to revisit our life. That opportunity is to ask ourselves whether we are truly alive in our own lives.

Daily mission

Ensure that the people you love know that you love them. No matter your age, now is the time to create a legacy of how we want to be remembered.


Alice Inoue is the founder of Happiness U. Visit yourhappinessu.com.


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