A new year doesn’t just mean a new calendar and resolutions. When you’re grieving the loss of your pet, the new year can feel like a marker of time reminding you that your beloved isn’t here to step into the next chapter with you. While others may be celebrating fresh starts, you might find yourself only feeling emptiness and long lasting sadness.
After surviving holidays from October through December, this last “holiday” often brings up feelings you thought would come to an end with the culmination of December. Give yourself permission to embrace your emotions and to explore your own path through grief this coming year.
What does your grief road map look like? Have you explored things that bring you comfort and also realized that some things don’t feel comforting? Though time is moving forward regardless, you do have some control over what your time, space, and year will look like.
Moving forward with grief, no matter the pace, doesn’t mean learning how to leave your pet behind. This journey is about finding a bridge between grief and healing. Between old memories and new experiences.
Think outside the box. Find ways to honor and remember your pet that speak to you and how you live. This is your path, paved with continued connection. I’ve got a few suggestions below and maybe they’ll be just enough to get your wheels turning.
Create a meaningful ritual as part of your routine
A daily, weekly, or monthly ritual can offer comfort in a familiar way and something to look forward to. The frequency is not a measure of your love or dedication, it reflects the pace that feels right for you.
A quick brainstorm:
- Daily candle or remembrance lamp lighting.
- Weekly or monthly volunteering at a shelter.
- Once a week, add three to five special photos to a digital frame (by the end of the year, you’ll have over 150-250 pictures on there.)
- Make a monthly donation in your pet’s name. Maybe your donation is always the age they were or another significant number in their life.
- Daily or weekly walks where you can clear your head and think about memories or what your pet taught you. Maybe you even reflect on what grief is teaching you.
- Dedicate a day in their honor (this could be monthly or even yearly (e.g. “Mr. Flufferson’s Day”) and incorporate their favorites — foods, places, and things to do.)
- Daily gratitude journal (yes, society’s emphasis on gratitude as a “fix” for grief can feel toxic, but it doesn’t mean that your gratitude is toxic.)
Choose to do things that feel like just enough work to be comforting. If it’s too much of an effort, it won’t stick. And you can always revisit some ideas later. There are no rules.
Fill a frame (or frames) with memories
Choose a collage frame with twelve pictures or maybe start a gallery wall that will eventually have twelve frames. Once a month, choose a photo to print and frame. As an extra special touch, write the memory of the photo or a sentiment and tape it to the back side of the picture before framing.
Having a long term project to work on is something that can not only help with healing but is also a lasting tribute to your pet. A reminder that your pet is always a part of your home and heart.
Nurture something (anything!) in their honor
It doesn’t matter what you choose, simply nurturing something can help you reconnect with the caregiver within you.
- If you like plants, consider growing a small garden or choosing a new houseplant to care for in their honor. You might even have to do a little research on the best way to care for certain plants, which can feel very purposeful.
- Though you may not be ready for another fur, feathered, or scaled baby, something simpler, like a goldfish or even feeding local wildlife, might bring you a smile.
- Maybe you focus mainly on nurturing yourself. Your body, mind, and spirit need care, too. Try yoga, clean eating, or a self-care routine you’ve always wanted to explore.
Finding ways to remember your pet in the new year doesn’t have to be elaborate or feel overwhelming. Part of the journey is in finding small, meaningful ways to keep their love close to your heart while healing.
Although a new year is typically associated with big goals and new perspectives, for you this could be a year of gentle compassion and learning a new way of loving. It doesn’t always have to look like confetti and streamers. It can be a warm blanket and quiet hope for the future.
Your connection with your pet is timeless. They’ll always be a part of your heart, and by honoring them, you’re carrying their legacy, and your bond, forward in a meaningful way.
