Name the hard days
Anniversaries and firsts arrive whether you are ready or not. A small plan helps.
Plan around the dates
A little care for a hard time
Grief changes shape.
You don’t have to carry it evenly.
There is no correct way to lose someone you love. Small, repeatable steps can make a hard day a fraction softer. For you, and for the people who are grieving beside you.
Gentle guidance. No advice on how you should feel.
A softer place to start
Small steps. A little more room.
You don’t need to do everything at once. Start with what feels possible.
Find your kind of support
Some days you need people. Some days you need quiet. Both are allowed.
See what might helpLook out for little ones
Children grieve in short bursts and need honest, simple words.
Care for your familyMake room for today
One small thing is enough. You do not have to do the whole day.
Start a small planEarly access
Grief onesheets, coming to your inbox.
One-page guides for grief, each holding one clear thing for a hard moment, written to be read when thinking in the moment is hard.
Care that fits the day
Grief needs different things on different days.
Pick who you are caring for right now. Take what helps and leave the rest.
For yourself
Grief moves in waves. Small things you can repeat help more than one big plan.
Find a grief support group- Choose one anchor for the day: a walk, a shower, a cup of tea. Do that one thing and let the rest wait.
- Write down the thought you keep turning over. You do not have to show it to anyone.
- Set a limit for hard content. Pick which sites you check, and pick a time to stop.
- Tell one person the truth about today. “Today is heavy” is a complete sentence.
Intended for gentle grief support. Not medical or mental health advice, and not a substitute for clinical care.
A gentle heads-up · Anniversaries and firsts
The dates will come. You can meet them with a plan.
The first birthday, the first Christmas, the first summer. Birthdays, name days, and ordinary Tuesdays can all land hard. Decide ahead of time who you will be with, what you will say yes to, and what you will give yourself permission to skip. Plans can change. So can you.
If a date is approaching and you have nowhere to take it, the support options above include places that will hold it with you.
What to say for someone who is grieving?
Use their person’s name. Say what you heard and that you are sorry. “I don’t know what to say, but I’m glad you told me” works. Avoid “everything happens for a reason”, “they’re in a better place”, and “at least”. Offer something specific instead of “let me know if you need anything”: a meal, a lift, a school run. Then keep checking in after the first month.
Care that grows with them
For the little people
in your world.
You don’t have to protect children from grief. You can help them carry it in sizes they can hold.
“You can talk about them any time you want. Nothing you feel is too much.”
Keep telling the story
Say the person’s name. Share small, ordinary memories, including the funny ones. Children need to know their person is still spoken about.
Let them ask anything
Answer honestly in a few words and let them lead. Questions may come back the same week, and again. That is how children take in something large.
Watch for the quiet signs
Not all children say what they are feeling out loud. Keep eyes out for quiet signs, and find additional support for their grief with qualified professionals.
Make room for the day
A little plan for
a heavy day.
Choose the smallest version of the day that still takes care of you. Turn off the group chats that make it louder. Tell one person: “Today is hard. I might be quiet.”
A walk. A shared meal. A good book.
Something that brings you back to your own world.
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My small steps
0 of 6 completeA printed guidance tool, not medical or mental health advice.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 in the US, or reach out to a licensed professional who can help.
Come back to the here and now
You’re allowed to take a moment.
Grief often arrives in waves, not lines. Put your feet on the floor.
Look around and name five things you can see.
Tap to begin
Breathe naturally. Skip this if it doesn’t feel comfortable. Sound is optional: a quiet hush with a soft chime as each breath turns.
Try a sip of water, a short walk, or a conversation with someone you trust. If the weight of it lasts, or affects your sleep or daily life, a counsellor, GP, or bereavement service can help.
Need support right now?
If you feel unsafe or might hurt yourself or someone else, contact local emergency services or a crisis service now. In the US, call or text 988. Elsewhere, find a local helpline. Children can tell a trusted adult. This guide is not medical care.