Grief doesn’t cancel happiness.
You can miss them and still laugh at a stupid meme.
You can cry in the morning and belly-laugh by dinner.
It doesn’t mean you’re over it. It means you’re alive.

Letting happiness in doesn’t betray the one you lost.
In fact, they may have been the reason you learned to love life at all.

You’re allowed to feel lightness.
You’re allowed to be okay, even if just for a minute.
You don’t owe your sorrow full custody of your joy.

Journal Prompt

If you want to write, here’s a gentle place to begin

When was the last time I felt truly happy, even if just for a moment?
What was I doing? Who was I with?
Did I let myself fully feel it, or did guilt slip in?

If I believed happiness could honour them, what might it look like today?

Gentle Ritual

If writing feels too much, try something with your hands

The Happy Memory Anchor (2–5 minutes)

1. Think of a moment that made you smile; maybe with them, or maybe after.

2. Find an object, photo, scent, or song that links you to that memory.

3. Sit with it. Let yourself feel what rises; laughter, tears, longing, warmth.

Whisper:

“This doesn’t mean I’ve moved on.
It means I still carry love.
And sometimes, it feels like this.”

Optional: Try This

Or just walk with me for a minute. No pressure, just presence

The Lightness Walk

Look for one thing that lifts you;
A bird, a breeze, someone’s laugh.
Let it be enough.
You don’t need to bottle it or analyse it.
Just notice. And smile, if you want.

Please Remember

You are not disrespecting your grief by feeling joy.
You are not forgetting them.
You are remembering that you’re still human, and happiness is part of that too.