You're probably reading this because you're in the midst of grief, and you're looking for answers on how to find joy again after child loss.

You may have already read all the books and articles about finding joy in grief, but what if you still can't find any? What if the idea of being happy again seems like a joke?

When we're grieving, we have a choice: we can either ignore our feelings and try to push them away, or we can face them head-on and let them help us grow into better people than we used to be.

The first option may sound easier at first glance, but it's not as great as it seems—and here's why: by ignoring our feelings, we'll never learn from them. We'll never connect with others who are experiencing a similar loss or find comfort in knowing that others have been down this road before us. We'll never truly heal if we don't allow ourselves the opportunity to heal by facing our demons head-on instead of running away from them!

We get it. We've been there. And we know how hard it is to believe that joy and grief can coexist. But they do—and they can!

It's important to find a balance that works for you. It might be as simple as keeping your beautiful memories of your child close to your heart, or it might be something more complex (like trying new activities). Whatever it looks like for you, we promise that once you begin letting your happy moments be as full of joy as possible, things will start to feel easier.

It's normal to feel really sad when your child dies, but it's also important to find ways to enjoy life again. Here are some ways we've found joy in our grief:

Remembering happy times

Remembering happy times we had with our child who passed away - whether it was a funny story or something they did that made us feel special and loved - helps us remember him/her in a positive way, rather than focusing on their death or how they died, or died before you knew them.

Spending time with others

Surround yourself with people who are supportive of your grief. It can be hard to find people who understand what you're going through, but if you can find someone who does, it will make all the difference in helping you through this difficult time. Spending time with people who care about us helps us feel like we're not alone during this difficult time. It also gives us a chance to talk through our feelings so that we don't bottle them up inside until they explode out as anger or depression later down the road.

Summary

In the midst of grief, it can be challenging to feel joy. But if you're able to find joy in your happy moments, the pain of losing your child becomes lighter. It's okay if your happiness isn't as intense as it used to be—but finding joy is possible, even when you're grieving!

The first step is letting yourself feel whatever you're feeling. You don't need to hide behind a smile or pretend everything's okay when it isn't. Let yourself cry and talk about how much this person means to you without worrying about how others will perceive your emotions. It's okay to be sad!

Next, find ways to bring back some of the things that made life enjoyable before your child passed away—even if it's just for an hour or two at a time. If there was something ya’ll enjoyed doing together like playing sports, going to a game, and wearing their favorite jersey. Or what about their favorite song, create a playlist. Go eat at their favorite restaurant and order what they would have. The more often you do these things, the easier it will become for you to find joy in your grief. You deserve to find that joy, you may have to push yourself at first but overtime you will begin to smile again and then laugh again.