Planning a funeral is not something most of us wake up in the morning and are excited to do. After all, funerals are rarely something to be celebrated. They can often be difficult and emotional because they’re associated with grief and the loss of someone you love. Having to organize something while feeling extremely emotionally charged can be nothing short of difficult. Here are some of the biggest challenges to anticipate and how to overcome them.
High Emotions
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of planning a funeral is dealing with extremely high emotions. When you’re going through something distressful like navigating loss, it’s hard to make decisions throughout the planning process. When you’re in a panic or feeling sad, the last thing you can focus on is what kind of casket you want or the flower arrangements.
It’s important that you embrace these feelings as they come, and understand that you might burst out crying at an unexpected moment, or feel emotionally charged when you’re trying to make an important decision. This is why it helps to work with a funeral director who can help provide the guidance you need during this difficult time. They’re experienced in these kinds of situations and know how to de-escalate a situation when emotions start clouding judgment.
Finances
Planning and funding a funeral is often expensive. Depending on your finances, it may be difficult to get all of the funeral options that you would like. Therefore, it’s important that you establish a realistic budget from the beginning. Remember, your loved one knows that your love isn’t measured by the amount you spend on their funeral. After all, love is not measured by money, but rather the amount of effort and care you put into the service.
Logistics
Coordinating all the aspects of a funeral can be overwhelming. When you have multiple family members and friends spread out in multiple locations, then choosing the right day and time can start to give you a headache. However, this is where modern communication platforms like WhatsApp can come in handy since you can create a group chat, opening the lines of communication.
With everyone in one single chat, you can find a solution for time restraints, and keep track of important dates and deadlines.
Religious Considerations
Different cultures and religions have different sorts of funeral customs. When there are multiple cultures and religions within one family, the funeral planning process can start to become challenging. Open communication is critical amongst different family members to ensure that everyone agrees on the best way to move forward. Ultimately you should respect the wishes of the deceased, which is why ideally they would have a will in place. However, people’s passing doesn’t always come at a moment they anticipated, so they may not have communicated their wishes.
Planning a funeral is undoubtedly something that will have plenty of challenges throughout the process. Between emotions and logistics, it can be one of the most difficult aspects of navigating loss.
However, by creating a strong support system and finding a qualified funeral director, you should be able to navigate these challenges and organize a thoughtful funeral that brings closure to your and your family’s lives.
