- Independent – I’ll do it myself.
- Poor sense of belonging – No one cares.
- Mistrust – People are mean
- Sense of belonging – I can call anytime.
- Trust – They will keep my secrets.
All Blog Postings by Mary
Our Social Network
Archive notice: This is a historical post from Mary’s years of blogging. Some older posts may mention products, courses or shop items that are no longer available, as Mary now focuses her time and energy on supporting widows inside her private Facebook community. The guidance and stories remain here as a free resource for widows.
For current ways to connect with Mary’s work, you can:
- Read her book on Amazon .
- Request to join her private Facebook group for widows .
Widows need a strong social network to give us a vital sense of belonging. Our social networks act as a family to support us and to make us feel safe and secure in this crazy world of grief.
If we don’t get enough support our health will suffer. In fact, the bigger our social network, the better off we will be.
However, just as it’s not good to stand completely alone when grieving, it’s also not good to depend on too small a circle of friends. They may not be able to understand and support your grief journey.
Widows are stressed and not having a sense of belonging creates even more stress. If you don’t feel safe and secure and have a sense of belonging, if you feel helpless in your grief, your ability to resist infections is lessened.
Be different, be you and break the emotional and social patterns. Don’t be afraid of change or standing out in your actions. You are no longer in the “wife” role and so your new journey is a change that is made easier by your social network.
Sometimes we widows need to accept our helplessness, because at times it’s important to allow ourselves to be helped. The ideal, is for our journey to be a balance between being powerful and being vulnerable. This is where it’s important to listen to your self-talk.