Paw and Soul

Listen to that motor 🥹💖 #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #purrmachine #gingercalove #happycat

Puzzle practice 😻 #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #catenrichment #blackandwhitecat #tuxedocat

Today is National Love Your Pet Day 🐾 In 2006, Pet lifestyle and animal behaviour expert, Colleen Paige started National Love Your Pet Day to bring attention to the care our pets require. Those of us in pet loss grief know that every day is Love Your Pet Day. We don't go a day without knowing what intense love for our beloved animal companions means. The anticipation of our pet's death or facing the reality of our pet is no longer here to hold, makes the love we have for our cherished pet all the more unmistakable. If your pet is here by your side and healthy, I encourage you to play, cuddle and talk to your pet as often as you can. Cherish those moments. If your beloved pet is unwell or has died, please know you can continue to keep the love you have for them alive forever. Continue to say their name, tell their story and connect with what makes your relationship with them special to you 💖 #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #pawandsoulpetlossgriefcoach #petlossgriefcoach #petlossgrief #anticipatorypetlossgrief #petlove #loveyourpetday #loveyourpet

Daily tasks that can be incredibly hard when you're in early pet loss grief: 🛌 Getting out of bed 🛀 Taking a bath or a shower 🍝 Eating just the right amount of food 🚰 Drinking enough water 😴 Sleeping too much or not enough 🧠Focusing on anything but your grief If you even partially succeeded at 1 of these things that's a win. If you weren't able to do any of them, give yourself permission to let it be ok today. If you find yourself struggling to do any of these things for an extended time, reaching out for support from a grief coach or therapist can be helpful. You don't have to grieve alone. . . Paw and Soul Pet Loss Grief Coaching Reach out for support at: [email protected] pawandsoul.ca #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #pawandsoulpetlossgriefcoaching #petlossgrief #griefjourney #petgrief #petlossgriefstruggles #earlypetlossgrief

After our beloved animal dies we can struggle with who we are now. Part of our identity was being our beloved animal's caregiver, best friend and pet parent. Our routine has changed drastically. The one we used to talk to when times were tough or something wonderful happened, the one that sensed our energy and whether it was high or low, they were always there without judgment. Now, they’re no longer physically in front of us. We can feel so lost and challenged to find the direction to who we are. You are not alone if you feel this way. Many others, myself included have experienced this feeling too. It can be so disorienting. Is there anything from the relationship with your beloved animal companion that doesn’t need to change simply because they’ve died? Can you still see yourself as their pet parent, their best friend holding all their secrets, the person who keeps their memory alive with all the stories of who they are? Who can you still be, even now? . . Paw and Soul Pet Loss Grief Coaching Reach out for support at: [email protected] pawandsoul.ca #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #pawandsoulpetlossgriefcoaching #petlossgrief #griefjourney #griefjudgment #petgrief #petlossconnections

It’s cold outside but we can still have fun! #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #kittyplaytime #gingercat #orangecatlove

When we are grieving the loss of our beloved pet we usually don't feel ourselves. We can retreat from our lives or have bigger reactions to situations than we normally would. We can find ourselves exhausted and sleeping way more or barely sleeping. We can cry all the time or not at all. We can bring a new animal into our life days/weeks after the loss of our beloved animal or we never bring another animal into our life again. We might judge ourselves for any, all or more of these things. Even if we know all these things are normal parts of grieving, we can’t help but judge if we are doing it right. Minimizing self-judgement is a daily practice. There is no solid fix that works for everyone. But, practising the strategies that help you ease your judgement, as often as you can, could help. Your daily practice could look like any of these: 💭Affirmations ~ I don’t like how I am grieving AND I am grieving in my way so it’s the right way. *Acknowledge was is, then state what you want to embody 📝Journaling ~ Write down all the judgments you have about your grief. Journaling gives us awareness and though its not a quick “fix”, it helps us understand our grief better. 🧘‍♂️Meditation ~ Bringing your attention to your breath or the beating of your heart, helps shift your focus and break the judgment loop. Are there other things you find help break your judgment loop? Share with us in the comments, maybe it will help another pet griever. . . Paw and Soul Pet Loss Grief Coaching Reach out for support at: [email protected] pawandsoul.ca #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #pawandsoulpetlossgriefcoaching #petlossgrief #griefjourney #griefjudgment #petgrief

I miss my beloved animal companion more than anyone else💔❤️‍🩹….. Our animals often fill the biggest friendship and family role in our lives. 💤They sleep with us. 💻They work beside us. 😢They listen to our struggles. 🍝They even eat with us. When they die and we no longer have them by our sides our entire world is forever changed. It's completely natural for us to feel a deeper sense of loss for them than for anyone else we may be grieving. They held such a significant place in our lives, which makes their absence all the more shattering. What do you miss the most about your beloved animal companion? Please share in the comments, I would love to hear about your relationship with your beloved animal. . . Paw and Soul Pet Loss Grief Coaching Reach out for support at: [email protected] pawandsoul.ca #pawandsoulyyc #pawandsoulpetlossgriefcoaching #petlossgrief #griefjourney #petloss #petconnections #petlosspain

When we are in pet loss grief, we can have a huge array of fluctuating emotions. And we can also be holding multiple emotions at once. Some of these emotions can be contradictory and confusing to have at the same time. Please know, it is possible and very normal to hold more than one truth at a time. Even if they are pulling you in different directions. ✦ I love my sweet perfect pet so much AND I’m angry at them for dying ✦ My heart is broken and I cry so much AND I enjoyed that laugh with my friend ✦ I want my beloved animal back AND I’m relieved they’re no longer in pain The best thing you can do is to sit with these emotions, acknowledge them, and let them be heard. After all, isn’t that what we all want—to feel heard and understood? You can offer that same compassion to your own feelings. If you’re struggling to connect with your emotions or face any part of your grief, remember: you don’t have to go through it alone. I’m here to help. . . Paw and Soul Pet Loss Grief Coaching Reach out for support at: [email protected] pawandsoul.ca #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #pawandsoulpetlossgriefcoaching #petlossgrief #griefjourney

Grief isn't a single moment of impact-it's the endless ripples that follow, the quiet, continuous waves cascading into every corner of our lives. -Jameson Arasi #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #pawandsoulpetlossgriefcoaching #griefwaves #petlossgrief #petloss #livingwithgrief #livingwithpetlossgrief

Complete cuteness! 😻 #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #cutecatalert #cutekitty #gingercat

Complete cuteness! 😻 #pawandsoul #pawandsoulyyc #cutecatalert #cutekitty #gingercat