Eat, Pray, Love & the 7 Stages of Grief

Eat, Pray, Love didn't just end up being one of my favorite reads that I go to for comfort and affirmation during times of crisis. Each time, it gives me a brand new revelation and helps me see everything in a new light. Julia Roberts was an amazing lead in the movie and I can't stress the book or movie enough! My inspiration for travels - not just the idea of a getaway but to actually create an impact, was inspired. I've stopped believing in co-incidences for as long as I can remember and I do believe each person we cross paths with; a blessing or a lesson helps us grow and become better then who we are at present.

Time is an ironic thing, sometimes we meet people we don't see ourselves without. With friends, We create plans for the future, we see them as bridesmaids at our wedding someday, we see them as travel buddies for the future and we see ourselves much older, looking back at old pictures and mocking the way we looked and all that craziness. With romantic partners, we picture a life together, an adventure. The funny thing is, before any of those plans could manifest into reality, that same person no longer exists. Time can change everything, it changes our expectations, it changes our goals, dreams and expectations from one another.

The 7 stages of grief isn't just about a death of a loved one, its the death of someone that no longer exists in our lives. The hurt is real and its probably one of the worst feelings in the world. Desperation for answers, Denial, Bargaining, Relapse, Anger, Initial acceptance and Redirected hope. Now, there are many versions of the 7 stages for losing a loved one, going through the phases of death and etc but whatever you may call it or how differently we grief, we have to go through all 7 stages to feel whole again. There is no stipulated time frame for this and sometimes, in my case, it may even take years. Sometimes, we never get over the grief.

However, I believe its important to see the best in the worst situation imaginable. It's important to forgive yourself. The biggest lesson I've learnt thus far was the importance of loving yourself - to the moon and back. Giving priority to your own needs, whether its indulging in a sinful dessert at the end of a hectic week or going on a spa day. Its important to realize everything you want and everything you're looking for, isn't out there in the world. It's within.

"In the end, I've come to believe in something I call the physics of the quest. A force in nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity. The rule of quest physics goes something like this: If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter old resentments and set out on a truth seeking journey either externally or internally and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you as a clue and if you are willing to accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher and if you are prepared to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself then the truth will not be withheld from you. I can't help but believe it - given my experience." - Eat, Pray, Love