Grief is never easy, but the coming of the new year can make it harder. It can be daunting to face an entire new year stretching out in front of you. All the New Year celebrations are a constant reminder of the person you love and lost and how another year is coming without them in your life.

Here are a few ideas to help you cope with grief during the new year.

Don’t Judge Your Emotions

It’s normal to feel strong emotions during this time. It’s also normal to feel ambivalent. Whatever you are feeling, accept that all your feelings are OK. Allow yourself to simply acknowledge everything you are feeling without judgment.

Allow Yourself to Move Forward

People who are grieving often long to recover the past, where they were comfortable and felt safe and good. Longing to return to what was can make us resistant to accepting the new year. Instead of fighting the reality that things will be different, let go. Allow yourself to consider doing things differently.

Make This Year About You

Instead of focusing on making resolutions or self-improvement goals for the new year, focus on self-care instead. Commit to doing simple things like getting sleep, eating healthy food, and exercising. All these will help your body and mind deal with your loss.

Find Ways to Remember Them

The new year is a tangible sign that time is passing, which can make you feel like you are being taken further away from the time you shared with your loved one. The passing of time does not mean you are leaving them behind. At the start of the year, reflect on the ways you want to carry your special person with you. Maybe it’s a shared hobby or interests, cooking a favorite meal, wearing special jewelry, or volunteering with an organization that was special to them.

Fill Your Calendar With Self Love

When you look at the calendar for the coming year, instead of just scheduling things you have to do, plan on doing things that will help you with your grief journey. Plan to attend grief support groups and memorial events. If holidays and anniversaries are challenging for you, spend some time considering how you want to spend those days. Would taking a break from expectations help? Maybe just opting out or altering how you participate will make things easier for you. Prioritize your grief-work in the new year.

No one can control the passing of time, but you can control what you focus your attention on. Everyone’s grief journey is different and it is never a smooth forward progression. Find the courage to live into the future by living in the present, one day at a time.