Speaker: Aimee , New Zealand
Aimee : I lost my mum suddenly when I was 30 years old. This has been the massive, massive challenge in my life and it has nearly been 2.5 years and every day I'm still learning how to live with it.
How did you feel during that time?
Aimee : That moment was the darkest moment of my life. I felt like I could hardly walk. I could feel like I could hardly talk. I wasn't interested in eating. I felt like my life was over. I felt like nobody could understand what I'm going through.
What has helped you overcome it or feel better?
Aimee : The thing that has sort of helped me get through my grief journey has been time. I have also had to start implementing routines into my life and implementing goals again. I have been walking, I have started my own business. I have had another baby that I didn't think I was gonna have. I have basically tried to keep living my life the way that my mom would be proud and it's made it easier to get up each and every day and carry on knowing that she would be proud of me every step of the way.
What is one big takeaway that you've learned from it?
Aimee : My biggest takeaway from this is life is so short, it can be taken away in a split second. And you really have to live your life the way that you want to live it. You have to be happy, you have to make those choices that you wanna do. I have stopped pleasing other people. I have started making decisions because I want to do it. I have been able to do things that I would never even dream of. And that is because in reality, life is so short and I understand that now I understand that wholeheartedly that one day you can go to sleep and the next day you won't be here and you really need to make the most of life.
What would you like to say to another woman who is going through a similar situation right now?
Aimee : If you are at the beginning of your grief journey right now, or maybe you're in the middle of it. I want you to know that it's going to be ok. You are going to learn how to live with grief. You're never ever gonna forget that person that you have lost. You will basically find a way to carry on and keep living even though it feels really blooming hard to do that at the beginning. And as much as you want that person right next to you, you find a way to cope.
