SAD, Redefined

The Grief Recovery Newsletter 

written by Patricia D. Freudenberg

Understanding Sadness

Sadness is something we can all relate to. Whether it is from a personal experience or even while watching a movie, we have all felt that moment when the story dips into heartbreak before rising toward resolution. In storytelling, the climax often contains a pivotal moment of sadness, because sadness is part of the human experience.

And, of course, when we talk about grief, Captain Obvious shows up, grief and sadness are close companions. Sadness is also often tied to depression, yet I want to clarify that I write not as a medical professional, but as a certified death consultant and grief recovery coach. My focus is on you, the land of the living. My work and my mission are here to remind you, live a life to be remembered.

Redefining SAD

So what do I mean by redefining “sad”?

Sadness is real. It is natural. But staying stuck in it for too long can keep us from functioning in our daily lives. That is where awareness comes in. Awareness allows us to shift sadness into something more life serving.

Today, I invite you to act on SAD as an acronym:

S-A-D → Sit And Dream.

Why? Because mindset matters. Yes, “mindset” is a buzzword these days, but it is also a tool for evolution. When we lose a loved one, the life we knew no longer exists. Grief demands that we learn how to live in a new normal. Sitting in sadness for too long will not serve you.

Instead, Sit And Dream.

The Power of Dreaming

Dreaming is not only figurative, but also literal. Children do this so naturally, it is their gift of grace. They dream without restraint, and because of that, their worlds feel limitless. As adults, we all still have that capacity, though often we lose sight of it because we focus only on what is, not what could be.

Even though we cannot bring our loved ones back, we can still live a life worth living. Start with dreaming. Use your imagination as a tool of healing and reprogramming. In your dreams, daydreams or nighttime visions, you can design new paths, explore possibilities, and plant the seeds of hope.

So the next time you feel SAD, remember, Sit And Dream.

Prompt

What is one small dream you will sit with today, and what is the first gentle step you can take toward it?

Quote of the Day

“Sadness is not the end of the story, it is the pause that reminds us to dream again.”
— Patricia D. Freudenberg

Book Recommendation

If today’s reflection spoke to you, I invite you to explore my book:

Live Your Legacy: A New Spin on Mourning
This is an easy to digest guidebook, written with compassion and simplicity. Inside, you will find about 40 pages of heartfelt reading and 10 pages of guided journaling with thoughtful prompts. It is designed to be a step on your grief recovery journey, a resource you can return to as you learn to transform mourning into meaning and take those first steps toward healing.

Because recovery does not have to feel overwhelming, it begins one page, one reflection, one choice at a time.

Available on Amazon

Closing Thoughts

Sadness is part of our shared humanity. But grief does not need to define your entire story. Awareness transforms SAD into an invitation. Sit. Allow yourself to rest in the moment. And then dream. Dream for yourself. Dream for your legacy. Dream for a life still worth living.

“Because everybody wants to be remembered.”

© Patricia D. Freudenberg | Certified End of Life Consultant | Author | Founder & CEO | Miss-U-Gram®  | All Rights Reserved