Today is exactly one year since we lost our best four-legged bud – Lenny The Lanasko. Those of you who have been following me on Instagram for a long time probably remember morning stories with a cat that spent every day at our house and only went to sleep at night.
Lanasko (or as we called him Lenny) became very close to us in 5 years. At first, there were scratches and generous “gifts” at the door in the form of birds and mice. Then he began to trust us, understood us in 3 languages and warmed us up when we were sick. Even a year later, I still cry when I write about him (or write this?).
After he passed away, I grieved for several months. Mr. Lanasko will forever remain with us in our hearts. If you too are experiencing the loss of your pet, I understand your feelings and I hope that my tips will help you overcome that sadness faster.
What I did:
I tried to escape from reality – I downloaded the mobile game “Cats are Cute” and played it for quite some time.
I “got into my shell” – switched off the phone and ignored all calls and messages. To be honest, none of these helped me.
What really worked:
1 Accepting grief and allowing yourself to be sad
I told myself that it’s okay to be sad at times like this and I don’t need to deny my true feelings.
2 Reconnecting with your body
If you have an opportunity to work with a stress relief practitioner, that’s great. It would really help to speed up the process. If not, I would recommend writing a dairy of your emotions, meditation or yoga.
3 Creating a new ritual
When Lenny was alive, immediately after waking up, I would go to open the door for him. Usually he purred and caressed when entering, and then he would go and check if there was any milk in the bowl.
It was hard for me to let this habit go. So, instead of opening the door for him, I put a candle in front of his photo and lit it every morning to say “good morning, Lenny”, I remember you, you are always here in my heart.
This new morning ritual has comforted me during such a difficult time.
4 Getting out of the house more often
My friends would ask me out for a walk or lunch. I would always agree with only one condition: “No cat talks”.
5 Dedicating time to hobbies
Long forgotten hobbies like calligraphy and scrapbooking also helped me focus my attention in a more positive direction.
I hope these tips help you, please feel free to share your lifehacks to help others.
