My grandmother, Amy Rose Sawyers Hall, recently passed away. I was sitting in a workshop when she passed away around noon Eastern on Friday September 13th. I didn’t find out until I got home that night when I spoke to my dad.

Over the past 5-years, she’d been in and out of hospitals. She always recovered. I expected her to recover once again. But this time was different.

Who Amy Rose was…

My grandmother was a woman who NEVER sat still. Even into her 80s, she was always on the move. My sister reminded me of our walk to my grandmother’s church the last time we visited her in New Jersey. She told us “It’s not far, just around the corner.”

We were hoodwinked!

Just around the corner turned into a 10-mile trek. While my short, stocky grandmother, who at the time was in her 70s, marched along quite happily, my sisters and I panted with fatigue behind her.

Oh the memories…

The planning for her funeral, which will take place in Jamaica, has been chaotic. Flights have to be arranged, time has to be taken off work, rising tempers have to be quelled and money has to be spent.

Sometimes the light of the one who guides others dims… 

I’m thankful for a community that has kept me in their prayers over the past few days. Death is unexpected, so when it happens, the planning can be a source of frustration.

Being a light to others is tough when dealing with loss, however, not doing anything is more painful because one is left in a negative whirlpool.

Here are some tips on how to continue thriving in your business while dealing with loss:

1 – Anchor yourself in God

Comfort is found in the Bible and God is the only One who can fill you with light while you feel so gloomy.

2 – Embrace the grief

It makes no sense hiding your grief from your community. While I’m not suggesting you record of video wailing at the top of your lungs, I do recommend that you share your grief with your community and ask them for their support through prayers.

3 – Postpone coaching sessions or product launches

Your clients will understand if you need to take a few days off to gather your thoughts, be with family and arrange travel. Don’t try to be a superwoman. Otherwise, you may “crash” and go berserk in front of your clients (and that’s never a good thing).

4 – List what needs to be done, then delegate

To remove the additional burden of trying to do a million and one things while you’re also grieving, spend a couple of hours documenting all the things that need to be done, then outsource that list to your team for them to implement.

5 – Don’t forget self-care

That’s the one thing we tend to ignore. Self-care could very well mean taking time away from the chaos, even if it’s to turn off your cellphone and walk through a park for an hour. You don’t have to get a massage – just be sure to take time out for you so you can recharge.