Breaking Down 8 Common Grief Myths
- Aug 6
- 3 min read
By Hannah Darby
The world of grief is shrouded in mystery. Why? Because we don’t talk about it enough. We bury it deep down inside and hope that it will go away. I’m on a mission to change this. I believe in a world where the invisible weight of grief is heard, seen, and witnessed. To start this conversation, today I want to take you through 8 common grief myths and give you the truth.
Myth #1 - ‘Grief has a timeline’
Truth - Grief isn’t linear; it comes in waves, much like the ocean. It's a layered and unique journey for each person. There is no ‘normal’ timeline.
Myth #2 - ‘You should be over it by now’
Truth - You don’t get over grief, you learn to live with it and grow around it. Grief becomes a part of who you are. Healing grief is not about forgetting; it’s about integration. It's about remembering the love and creating a life where grief and joy co-exist.
Myth #3 - ‘If you're grieving, you’re not strong’
Truth - Allowing yourself to feel grief takes incredible strength and courage. Suppressing grief is not resilience; processing grief is.
Myth #4 - ‘Healing means letting go of the person, pet, past, or part of yourself that you lost’
Truth - Healing grief is never about letting go. It’s about learning to honour what you lost and carry that love with you in a new way. It’s not detachment, it’s transformation.
Myth #5 - ‘You can only grieve someone who has died’
Truth - This is one I hear a lot! You can grieve absolutely anything that you’ve lost that was meaningful to you - identity, health, relationships, dreams, time, pets, freedom…
Myth #6 - ‘Grief should look a certain way’
Truth - There is no one-size-fits-all to grief. We all do it in our own way, and your way is right for you. Some cry, some go quiet, some keep busy; all of it is valid.
Myth #7 - ‘If you're grieving, you can’t be happy’
Truth - Grief and joy can co-exist. Laughing or feeling hopeful doesn’t mean you’re not grieving. It means you're human.
Myth #8 - ‘Talking about grief makes it worse’
Truth - Avoiding and suppressing grief makes it heavier. Your grief needs to be witnessed, and pain is part of healing. Speaking about your grief is never a weakness; it takes courage.
Have you recognised yourself in any of these myths? If so, you're not alone. These are all things I hear from clients a lot. Your grief needs to be witnessed in order to move forward. To witness your grief, you have to allow yourself to feel your grief.
I trust I have inspired you to have a conversation about your grief, hounor your grief by bringing it out of the shadows into the light. The more we talk about grief within our society, the less taboo it will carry.
If any of this calls to your soul, then connect with me and start your grief conversation today.
Remember, healing grief is not about forgetting grief or getting over it; it’s about letting it become a part of who you are, allowing it to help you grow and become the unstoppable woman you were destined to be.
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