Did you know that a survey asked grievers to decide which comments were helpful following a loss? Out of 141 comments, they found only 19 helpful. Sadly, that means a lot of people hear well-intentioned, yet often unhelpful, statements when their hearts are broken. 

Over the past 40+ years, The Grief Recovery Institute has uncovered the most common myths that people hear following loss and have tried to reeducate the world on what statements and actions help people recover from grief. 

Here are a few helpful quotes about grief for you to share with your friends, family, and colleagues. 

1. “It is never too soon to heal your heart.”  Click to tweet

2. “No matter how fast you run, you can’t go around your broken heart.” Click to tweet

3. “Forget about being strong. Be human.”  Click to tweet

4. “No one likes to feel sad so they do what most people are taught. They pretend that they are okay.”  Click to tweet

5. “The key to recovery from grief is action, not time.”  Click to tweet

6. “Overcoming grief: You can’t go over, under, or around it. You must go through it.”  Click to tweet

7. “Grieving people want and need to be heard, not fixed.”  Click to tweet

8. “We were taught from our earliest ages that sad, painful, or negative feelings were to be avoided at all costs.”  Click to tweet 

Learn more about talking to grievers

Two of the Most Helpful Things to Say to a Griever

6 Things to Never Say to Someone Who is Grieving a Death

14 Things You Should (and Should Not) Say to Widows and Widowers