I've spoken to so many people over the years who are grieving, for whatever reason. Grief is a word associated with any event that includes loss. It may be that they are grieving over the death of someone close to them, but equally they may be grieving over the loss of a job, the loss of a treasured dream, a miscarriage, or the loss of a friendship or relationship.

Whatever the reason, grief can be a hard thing to deal with and you may feel that the sadness will never go away! There is no right or wrong way to grieve but there are healthy ways to cope with the pain.

Here are a few of my thoughts on how to deal with these feelings –

• Accept that everyone grieves differently. The grieving process takes time and there is no time limit on how long it will take for you to feel "normal" again. Don't compare your situation to anyone else. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself time.

• If you want to cry, cry! - if you don't, don't! Don't let anyone dictate how you grieve – it's so important not to ignore your feelings – ignoring your feelings will only make it harder in the long run.

• Look after yourself physically – the mind and body are connected. When you feel good physically, you'll also feel better emotionally. Get enough sleep, exercise and try to eat well.

• Turn to your family and friends, lean on the people who care about you. Often people around you want to help but they don't know how, so tell them what you need!

• Talk to someone. Maybe you don't want to burden those close to you, maybe they are grieving too. If this is the case find someone to talk to, someone who is prepared to listen. Sharing your loss will make your burden feel lighter. Grief can be a very lonely thing so finding someone to share your sorrow with can help so much.