5 Healthy Ways To Set Goals After A Loss

After experiencing loss, finding direction can feel overwhelming. This compassionate guide offers five practical ways to rebuild and move forward through goal-setting, including pursuing online education, establishing a gentle fitness routine, and seeking professional support through therapy. Learn how cooking nutritious meals and exploring creative outlets like journaling or art can help process grief in healthy ways. Whether you're ready to make major life changes or need small, manageable steps to get started, these strategies provide a roadmap for healing while honoring your own pace and needs.

Camille Johnson

10/24/20243 min read

5 Healthy Ways to Set Goals After a Loss

You’ve recently lost someone close to you, and now, you feel like you’re floundering. Nothing feels certain or stable, and you don’t know how to move on.

But you know that you’ve got to start somewhere, and setting basic goals can help. Additionally, getting regular adjustments at Adjust Today Chiropractic can be beneficial if you’ve been dealing with physical aches and pains.

Here are a few reasonable goals you may want to set for yourself if you’re trying to heal after losing a loved one.

Pursue Higher Education

Maybe you had to take some off from work to plan your loved one’s funeral or attend memorial services.

Now, you’re rethinking your future in your career path, and you’re considering exploring other possibilities.

After giving yourself some time to think about your options, you may want to enroll in an online degree program to earn your bachelor’s, master’s, or even doctorate.


By going to school online, you can handle your family and work obligations while earning your diploma.

Before investing in a particular program, ensure that they are accredited, and compare their tuition rates to similar programs to make sure you’re getting a good deal.

Start a Fitness Routine

Grief can take a toll on your body.

You may be dealing with muscle tension, headaches, or exhaustion. It may seem counterintuitive, but exercise can help you cope with the physical symptoms of grief.

Of course, it’s also important to give yourself plenty of time to rest and recover after workouts - don’t push yourself beyond your limits.

Plus, if you’re short on time, you can still be more active in your daily life. For example, you can choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator or go for walks during your lunch breaks at work.

Consider Seeking Therapy

If you still feel lost and you’re not even sure where to begin in regards to goal setting, working with a therapist might be a good choice for you.

A therapist can help you figure out where you want to go next in life and determine how to break down your goals into smaller tasks.

To find the right therapist, Popular Science recommends looking up local counselors who specialize in grief therapy.

Cook Healthy Meals

In the days and weeks following the loss of a loved one, it can be hard to find the energy to cook.

Your friends and relatives may have even dropped off home-cooked meals so that you didn’t have to prepare food by yourself.

But if you’re concerned about your own health, it may be time to get back into a cooking routine again. Try batch cooking large meals so that you’ll always have leftovers.

Creative Expression

Getting into a creative hobby can help you process your grief in a healthy way.

For instance, Cake states that journaling allows you to release your worries so that you can sleep soundly, “let go” of some of your most painful feelings, and reflect on the experience as a whole.

What if you’re not interested in journaling? There are plenty of other art forms that you can experiment with.

For example, you may want to get a sketchbook and “draw out” your feelings, or even learn how to play an instrument so that you can practice songwriting.

Learning to set goals again when you’re struggling with grief can feel impossible. But when you start small, you’ll realize that you’re capable of rebuilding your life.

From being more active to going back to school to working with a therapist, these tips can help you start moving forward again after suffering a loss.

Seeking physical relief from stress and tension? Find healing at Adjust Today Chiropractic! Fill out the contact form on your way to schedule an appointment.