Ways To Reconnect With Your Lost Loved Ones

Just simply talk to them as though they’re beside you

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It might feel weird at first to be talking to someone that isn’t actually there, but trust me, this is probably the most effective way of reconnecting with someone that you’ve lost. It’s something that you can work around your life and you can vent about the stresses that you’re feeling.

Create a home-video of their memories

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If you’ve got loads of videos on your phone that you can turn into a home-video, then do so. Looking at photos is one thing, but actually seeing their body language, facial expressions and hearing their voice can unlock so many more memories and make you feel even closer to them after they’ve gone.

Try to imagine the advice they’d give you when struck with hard decisions

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One of the biggest things we wish our lost ones could give us is advice, especially if they were wise and full of life. If you’re feeling stressed about a big decision going on in your life, try to put yourself in their shoes and think about how they might give you advice on the decision you need to make.

Bury a time capsule of your favorite memories and items

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When you need a pick-me-up, writing down all the good times you have with your late loved one can be a great way to return to those times. It not only floods you with the much-needed flashbacks, but also helps you to keep the memories fresh inside your head.

Carry a photo of them around with you in your purse or wallet

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If you feel as though you needed constant reassurance that you’re still close to the person you’ve lost, then carry around a small photo of the pair of you inside your purse or wallet each day. It can offer relief to know that they are safe and sound so long as you have it in your possession.

Write a personal letter addressed to them

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Try penning a letter to your departed loved one the next time you feel the urge to reconnect and have a conversation with them. Even if you never use it for anything, writing about your grief and celebrating your loved one's life can be a cathartic experience that brings us one step closer to our lost ones.

Find shade in the shelter of their lost love by planting a tree

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The act of planting a tree in someone's honor is a touching tribute to the legacy and love they left behind. The tree isn’t planning on going anywhere, and will offer you a shaded place to reconnect with them at difficult moments throughout your life.

Take warmth in the loss by turning their old clothes into a blanket

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Throws and blankets made from a loved one's old clothes are cherished by some for their sentimental value and special connection to the departed. You don’t have to be the best at DIY, the sewing isn’t hard and homemaking the throw will be that little more personal.

Scatter their ashes somewhere meaningful and visit regularly

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If you are in possession of your deceased loved one's ashes, you may find it therapeutic to disperse them somewhere that was important to them. That way, they can be returned to the Earth in a natural way, and you can maintain a meaningful connection to the places where you scattered the ashes.

Make or buy a piece of customized jewelry to keep close

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You might want to consider getting a ring or necklace made with their own handwriting on as a keepsake. Or, if you prefer, have it crafted with their ashes or hair. This way, you’re literally carrying a piece of them around with you to connect with.

Explore an interest they were passionate about while alive

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You might want to take a class or make an effort to practice the pastime your departed loved one was so enthusiastic about. It honors their memories and interests and also brings you closer by shedding light on who they were and why they appreciated these passions.

Stay in contact with their friends and family

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When you’ve lost someone that’s dearly close to you, keeping their loved ones in your life can help you remember that they are always alongside you and that they’re never going to leave. If it’s been a while, reach out to them to help you reconnect with your lost one.

Leave a seat for them at the table as you would’ve before

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Respect for your lost ones can be shown by making sure they always have a place at the dinner table. Adapting to change can be hard, but there’s things we can do to make that transition easier. You'll be reminded of their continued presence in your lives.

Keep a voicemail they left for you to remember their voice

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One of the hardest things about losing a loved one is forgetting what their voice sounded like. So, a great way of remembering this is by keeping a voicemail they left you so you can constantly go back to it and feel at one with them. Tip: put the voicemail into your own Build-a-Bear!

Burn an extra-special candle dedicated to their memory

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A candlelit vigil is a personal and simple way to remember a lost loved one on a special day. Not only may the warmth remind you of how close they still are to you, but the light can help you remember them even when you'd rather forget. Tip: find a candle scented like their aftershave or perfume!

Tattoo yourself with the memory of your loved one

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Consider getting a tattoo of your lost one’s name, date of birth or death alongside a meaningful image, which could be an angel or something tailored to you! As a special bonus, you could even try to get a note in their handwriting. This way, you’ll always feel connected to them, and they will become a part of you.

Send out lanterns into the sky in their memory

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Biodegradable and ecologically friendly balloons or lanterns can be a terrific way to contact your loved one after they are gone, sending messages to them above. By doing this, it will feel like they can really read the message you’ve left for them and reconnect that lost communication.

Create a photo album of all your favorite memories

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If you prefer visuals to words, consider creating a scrapbook filled with images of your lost loved one from all stages of their life. This way, you won't ever forget the good times you shared with them since you can relive them even after they're gone.

Take solace in a memorial bench at their favorite park

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You can honor their memory and encourage others to do the same by funding a memorial bench in their favorite park. It can encourage a sense of familiarity and connected, a sense that they are right by you, listening, if you take some time to sit on the bench and think.

Remember them by making a donation to a charitable cause

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This approach is beneficial all around! In order to feel closer to the a departed loved one, you could hold a fundraiser in support of a cause they cared deeply about during their lifetime.  This way, you’re continuing their legacy long after their death making it easier to connect with them at moments in your life.

Throw a memorial service in their honor and memory

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It's common to hold a memorial service for a deceased loved one either soon after the funeral or years later. It’s a fantastic way to get closure on the death of a loved one, but also to remember and continue the connections they made during their life with the people around them.

Create a floral memorial of them in your home

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You can leave flowers, candles, and other mementos for your loved one at home by keeping a photo of them on a table or hanging it on the wall. Buying fresh flowers on a weekly basis can help you feel closer to them and give you peace of mind that they're still with you even though you can't see them.

Mount either a Christmas or birthday card from them

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One of the easiest ways to mount a piece of handwritten material from your lost loved one is by hanging a greeting card signed by them. Having the frame displayed in your home will remind you of them every time you go past it, making you feel that one step closer to them like you crave.

Host an annual event in their memory to feel closer to them

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Do something they enjoyed doing once a year. Hosting a yearly or one-time event in memory of a loved one is a wonderful way to honor their memory, spread joy and continue those meaningful connections. You can also use the occasion to raise money for a subject they care deeply about.

Write a memoir of their life

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If you're the creative kind, you may pen a short (or long) memoir about your deceased loved one to share with those closest to you and beyond. There’s many ways you can approach this one, but by retelling their stories in your own words, you will feel a strong sense of re-connection.

Wear their favorite brands or colors to have them feel close

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There is no time limit on grief, so on the days when it's tougher to get out of bed, wear their favorite colors or brands that were most important to your lost loved one. It could help you feel like they're with you everywhere you go, giving you the strength to go on with your day.

Establish a ritual that will make you feel closer with the ones you’ve loss

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This one is particularly broad and is completely up to you how you approach it. Basically, you can come up with a gesture or ritual that you do on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. This could be doing something that they loved doing (like eating their favorite cuisine or treading their favorite walk).

Tell stories of their life to friends and family to make their memories live on

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While it's true that sharing images is a great way to honor the memory of a lost loved one, it's also important to remember that telling stories about them may be just as meaningful. Telling stories about their lives is a great way to honor their memory and reflect on the positive impact they had, reconnecting with them in the meantime.

Give to a cause that works to eliminate the causes of death of your loved one

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You may want to learn more about efforts to stop similar deaths from happening to other people if your loved one died of a particular cause. This way, it can feel like their death didn’t mean nothing, and instead, you can turn the negative of their passing into a positive, feeling closer to them in the process.

Have a go at a memory walk

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Memory walks are becoming increasingly popular among people with dementia, so if running isn't your thing, you can always do one of those instead. You can seek sponsors to help pay for a memory walk and spend time with others who are grieving the loss of loved ones in similar ways.

Create a memorial garden

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You don't have to have your own garden or yard space to create an outside memorial for them. If you do have the space, then you can do something beautiful for them in your own space, like a designated corner, but you can also look for communal plots or communal gardens that will let you have a space!

Build something - anything! - in their memory

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If you're a crafty person, you may feel like you want to put your love, heart and soul into creating something from scratch in their memory! It could be anything from woodworking a bird feeder, painting a picture on a canvas for them, making your own jewelry... anything!

Make a scrapbook

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Having a photo album in their memory is a must when a loved one has passed, but a scrapbook can take that to the next level - as well as being a mindful activity for you to do to help relax during this difficult time! You could attach things like ticket stubs or write sections of poems alongside photoss.

Write a poem or song in their memory

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Poems and music can really help with grief. There are many poems out there about loss and love, but you might feel like none of them really speak to you about how you're feeling. You might want to write your own poem or song to put your own feelings into words.

Get some more framed photos around your home

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Your home might have already been full of happy memories of them, but now is the perfect opportunity to fill those empty spaces on walls and shelves with more framed pictures of them in their memory. You could also get some photos printed of your last days together, even if they're just random selfies!

Make a playlist of their favorite songs

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Or you could even go old school and make a mixtape! However you choose to do it, a music playlist can be a great way to remember them as well as help you with grief. You can load it with all of their favorite songs, or songs that remind you of them, or music that speaks to how you're feeling right now.

You can make sure to always do something on the anniversary

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You might spend the very first anniversary of their passing doing something extra in their memory, but it can be really good to keep that tradition going long term, because it gives you a date to focus on and look forward to, as well as ideas for what to do on the next anniversary when it comes around.

What are some signs your lost loved one is around you? Their familiar perfume

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If they wore a signature perfume or aftershave, this is something strong that you highly associate with them - and sense of smell can be very powerful when it comes to bringing up old memories, or a way of communicating from those who have passed. If you can smell their familiar scent out of nowhere, it could be a sign they're with you.

You have visitation dreams

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Don't worry if you don't think you have visitation dreams, or barely remember your dreams at all! Visitation dreams can be very rare, but if you do have one, it's a big sign that they're trying to communicate through dreams by signs, symbols, certain words or even an image of them.

You find random puddles of water

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Spirits are drawn to water to communicate, as it's something they can manipulate and something you can easily see. One easy way for them to do this can be to make puddles of water appear in random places, or it could be close to a water source, like the pipes in the kitchen or bathroom, but without any other explanation.

And lights or electronics are flickering

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Another way spirits like to communicate is through electricity, because it's another easy thing to manipulate in terms of getting someone's attention! Electronics can also be highly affected by a strong spirit presence in terms of not working properly, flickering or blowing altogether.

Things spinning

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If you have anything in your home that's capable of spinning or easy movement, it's likely your loved one might target that to try and tell you they're here with you. If you have a ceiling fan, this might spin on its own, or maybe you have a suncatcher that doesn't usually move, but now it's going round!

You sense somebody with you

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You definitely know the difference of how it feels when you're on your home, to how you feel when you just sense some sort of energy or presence there with you. Maybe you only feel it in a certain spot, when you're doing a certain thing, or it comes and goes on certain days.

You just know in your gut

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You really have to trust your gut when it comes to things about passed love ones and what the universe is trying to tell you. Sometimes all you need is just for your gut to tell you that they're with you - you don't need any other signs, you just know

they're there with you.

You hear a kind voice

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It's not uncommon for lost loved ones to reach out with their voice, either. This doesn't mean that the voice will echo through your front room, as it could be as simple as you hear the voice in your head, like your name being spoken or some other word with significance, to let you know they're there.

You feel a gentle touch

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They may also try to reach out physically. Usually they'll do this only with a small touch at a gentle pressure, like resting a hand on yours, or you feel a tickle or breeze at the back of your neck. A loved one reaching out wouldn't ever do it quickly or heavily to make you jump!

You keep hearing their favorite song

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Music is such an important form of communication, and especially between those who are here, and those who are gone. If you hear their favorite song suddenly everywhere - on your Spotify shuffle, playing in the grocery store or coming on in the car - it could be them telling you they're with you.

You've seen shapes and glimpses

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You might have noticed shapes, or even full figures, in the corner of your eye, or when you focus on a certain place. Physical manifestations don't always happen, but they can be a sign if your passed loved one is trying to push through. The shapes might only be fleeting.

Certain items moving

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If you have items of significance that relate to your loved one - maybe a particular picture of the two of you together, an item that's now been passed down to you after they died or something that makes you think of them - maybe you keep finding this item in a new place when you swear you didn't move it yourself.

Or certain items moving off the shelf

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Likewise, you may also get the same thing with significant item, but dropping off the shelf in front of you to get your attention. Maybe a certain book drops off the shelf and falls open on a particular page that says something you could relate to something your loved one would want to tell you!