The Coping with Grief IQ Matrix explores how to effectively work through periods of grief. Grief is a deep sorrow we experience that often results from a loss of some kind. That loss can often lead to profound feelings of sadness, emptiness, yearning, despair, loneliness, and helplessness. Feelings of guilt about what we did, said, or couldn’t say or do may also arise. As a result, we struggle emotionally to find some stability in our lives. Grief is never an easy emotion to deal with. In fact, it is one of the most difficult emotions that any of us will ever experience. Things do, however, settle down over time. Our grief might never quite disappear, however, coping with grief does become a little easier as time goes by. And this map can, hopefully, help speed up the healing process.
Here is a quick breakdown of each branch of the Coping with Grief mind map.
- What it Means to Grieve: The first branch of this map explores what grief means and how it impacts us on a variety of levels. This branch also highlights the seven stages of grief. These are the stages that many people pass through when they lose a loved one. These stages include (1) disbelief, (2) denial, (3) anger, (4) bargaining, (5) sadness, (6) acceptance, and (7) hope. It’s important to note that everyone moves through grief a little differently. People may, therefore, experience each stage in a different order or not at all. These are, however, the various ways that people tend to cope with grief.
- Understanding Grief: To cope with grief, it’s important to subtly shift how we think and how we interpret our experience. Making several key perspective shifts will help you work through grief far more effectively. And that’s precisely what the second branch of this map tries to do.
- Grief Coping Process: The third branch of this map breaks down a five-step process that you can use to cope with grief. These steps include (1) identifying the sources of your loss, (2) releasing any pent-up emotions, (3) sharing your feelings, (4) finding reasons to keep going, and (5) cultivating gratitude and patience. Follow these steps as they have been outlined within this map, and they will help you work through difficult moments in your life.
- Suggestions Moving Forward: The final branch of this map provides you with a variety of ideas and suggestions to help you cope with grief far more effectively. Make sure that you write down a few ideas that resonate with you in a journal. Then outline how you will incorporate them into your life. Implementing just one idea can make all the difference.
This map provides a roadmap and framework for overcoming loss and for coping with grief. Referencing it regularly and committing it to memory will help you to embed these concepts and ideas into your subconscious mind.
A mind map, of course, does this beautifully because it mirrors the synaptic connections made in your brain as you try to establish new habits of thought and behavior. It brings together key concepts and ideas that help your brain to fully integrate and process this information. The brain, subsequently, rewires itself as it attempts to establish new habits of mind. It’s an ideal tool for creating lasting change and transformation.
Stick with these principles, memorize and incorporate them into your life, and you will progressively learn how to cope with grief in far more optimal and self-nurturing ways.
When you purchase the Coping with Grief IQ Matrix you will receive:
- A PDF copy of the IQ Matrix, which you can use for printing in high resolution.
- A JPG image file of the IQ Matrix, which is ideal for viewing on tablets and mobile devices.
- A Desktop Background version of the map you can use for reference on your computer.
- A MindManager file for those who wish to edit the content of the IQ Matrix.
- A printable PDF summary of this IQ Matrix to help you better understand each concept.
Additional visual resources and variations of this IQ Matrix might be added to your account page at no extra cost in the future.
