Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Ok by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy

It has been 10 years since my dad died, and then just two months later Jeff's mom died. We are not strangers to grief, but in those 10 years we have learned a lot about ourselves, our children and our families. That is one of the reasons we got married in the summer of 2016. We discussed that when people die, it is better to have a partner to manage the grief. During the years since my dad died, I have followed a number of different people online who experienced similar losses of a parent or a spouse. One is a young photographer and newlywed who lost his young wife to cancer. Sharing his grief on Instagram seemed to give him the strength to carry on, get out of bed, and even go to work every day. One day he posted about this book, "Big Feelings" by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy. This is an illustrated guide to handling life's more difficult emotions. Each chapter examines one uncomfortable feeling - such as envy, burnout, and anxiety - and lays out strategies on how to manage these emotions. From juggling intrusive thoughts, to learning to communicate about what makes you sad or angry, help is on the way. The book offers the theory that we cannot stop ourselves from feeling emotions, but there are ways to teach yourself how to be more at peace when these uncomfortable emotions arise. The authors have a popular instagram page and you can follow them at @LizandMollie. To buy this book on Amazon click here.