E40: I feel like an alien
A young fatherless daughter feels like grief has made her an alien, and is wondering how to navigate living on "Planet Grief."
Listen to This Episode:
Dear Grief Guide,
Do you ever feel like an alien among people? Trying to get “back to normal” after losing my dad is crazy. He was a huge part of my life, and navigating this new world without him feels like half of my brain was removed overnight. I'm struggling to get moving, while everyone else around me is trucking along like nothing happened. Like he never even existed.
Being around my friends makes me feel like I’m 15 years older than them. I’m in my late 20s, and no one in my age group has been through anything like this. They’re just now starting to lose their grandparents and have no idea what it’s like to be in my shoes. They’re making plans for holidays and birthdays, while I’m trying to plan a funeral. They’re ready for me to be normal and fun again, but I barely feel human.
I have no idea how to act anymore. In one of my group chats, a friend freaked out because she found her first gray hair, referring to it as a “crisis.” I just stared at my phone, thinking, "How in hell do I even respond to that?"
I’m just sad all the time and don’t have the energy to pretend. My whole world has been shattered, and I’m not the same. It’s like I’m an alien trying to integrate with humans. I just keep thinking, “I don’t fit in anymore.” Grief Guide, please help me. How long does this feeling last?
Sincerely,
No Longer an Earthling
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