Loss is an inevitable part of life. Sometimes it comes in the form of acute pain—like the loss of a loved one, a natural disaster, or an accident. Other times it can come through losing something you had hoped for—like getting cut from the team, rejection from a school you applied to, or losing a romantic relationship. But, a loss can also be regarded as the loss of what should have been. Like the loss of an engaged parent, the loss felt from loneliness or the loss of a friend who lets you down. As my good friend, Laing Rikkers, says, every loss must be dealt with, and the steps are pretty simple. She encourages anyone to “walk it out, talk about it, and write about it.” Those three practices allow us to get grief moving in and out of our bodies, make sense of the pain in our hearts and minds, and connect with others through shared experiences. (Laing has published a beautiful new book, Morning Leaves: Reflections on Loss, Grief, and Connection, as a way to process her own grief in the sudden loss of her sister. You can pre-order it on Amazon.)