guilt & regret
try to make peace with what happened...
or at least stop beating yourself up - it changes nothing.

The end is heavy - all-encompassing - as it evokes big emotions that span the spectrum of sadness, regret, anger, heartbreak, and a million other feelings in between. But there were so many moments before the painful ending. Remember those, too.

The end is only a PART of your story.

Keep intention in mind.

You never set out to harm your pet.

We only know what we know when we know it.

You did what you thought was best at the time with the information you had and the resources available to you at that moment.

You made decisions from the emotional space you were in at the time.

We are ever-evolving beings - always learning and growing.

Retrospect is not meant to be used as a punishment.

Although you may have concocted a fairy-tale alternative ending, in most cases you have no evidence that a different decision would have led to a better outcome.

The mind on grief can't be trusted. It preys on our vulnerability.

Stop auditing every decision.

There is absolutely nothing you can do to rewrite the story, so just stop.

You don’t have to like what happened, but at some point, you have to accept it.

This only adds another layer to the pain and keeps you stuck there.

Give yourself the compassion you would give something else.

Forgive yourself for any perceived misgivings or mistakes.

When you reflect on your life together, resist the urge to focus on all the things you think you DIDN'T do.

Focus on all the things you DID do.

All the walks you DID take. All the sniffs you DID make time for.

Get another perspective.

The stories we tell ourselves can prey on our vulnerabilities.