How to overcome pet loss, shortcuts to feeling better, morning walks

“I can’t get over my pet’s death. I know I need to move forward, but I just can’t. I feel stuck and anxious all the time.”

This is one of the most common messages I receive from people struggling with pet loss.

While I’m not a doctor or therapist and cannot offer medical advice, I’d like to share something that helped me personally as one possible way to start healing.

When Grief Feels Overwhelming

Hello, I’m MiAsa from Fanderwan.
Today’s topic touches on a deeper kind of emotional struggle than many of the messages I usually receive.

It’s about those who truly want to overcome their grief and feel better—but find themselves slipping back into sadness again and again.

In these cases, the sadness often goes beyond just the pain of losing a beloved pet.
Many people tell me they start to feel hopeless, lose confidence, or blame themselves for not being able to “move on.”
Some are still hurt by harsh or insensitive words they heard from others.

What they’re really struggling with may not just be the pet’s death—it’s also about how they see themselves after the loss.

For me, what helped was something very simple: a walk in the morning.
It sounds small, but it changed my mindset.
In the following section, I’ll share how that one habit helped me shift my thoughts and begin to heal.

Why a Morning Walk Might Help You Heal

A few years after losing my pet, I found myself overwhelmed with stress. Over time, it built up so much that I eventually fell into depression.

Related article: Pet Loss and My Experience with Depression

During that difficult time, someone recommended I try taking a walk in the morning.

That advice came with an important caveat:
If your body feels too exhausted or your mood is especially low, forcing yourself to go for a walk might actually make things worse.
Also, turning it into a “I have to do this” kind of obligation isn’t helpful either.

So I decided to go only when I felt well enough—no pressure, just when it felt right.

I still remember the first morning I went out.
A wave of emotions came over me.

“I had no idea the world was this big.”
“Morning feels completely different from the rest of the day.”
“Something refreshing and comforting is filling my body.”

That’s how I felt.

There are a few reasons why a morning walk can shift your mindset, both physically and mentally:

• The air feels cleaner and crisper in the morning.
• The angle of the sunlight makes the world look different—softer, calmer.
• The temperature feels unique compared to the rest of the day.

There’s also a biological explanation.

I’m not a doctor, but from what I’ve been told by several people who know a lot about health, early sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D—and sunlight exposure also boosts the production of serotonin in the brain.
Serotonin is often called the “happy hormone,” and it plays a key role in improving mood and emotional balance.

Even if you walk for a day or two and then find yourself back in a difficult place, that’s okay.
What matters is that it can become your first small step forward.

It’s been over ten years since I overcame depression, but I still go for morning walks now and then.
Even when life is generally going well, worries never completely go away.
When things feel heavy, I find that a short walk in the early hours brings unexpected clarity and calm.

Whether you’re grieving a pet or facing other emotional struggles, I encourage you to try a morning walk—for your mental and physical health.
Just be kind to yourself: if your body is too tired, it’s okay to rest instead. Don’t push it.

And if you’re carrying emotional burdens that go beyond pet loss, you may find those worries start to feel a little smaller.
The deep sadness of missing your pet may remain—but I believe something hopeful will begin to grow inside you too.

Take it slow. There’s no need to rush.
Your beloved pet is surely cheering you on from the other side.

Related Articles: How to overcome pet loss: Stop overcoming it and start living with loneliness

I create pet memorial items while listening to concerns like these.

I hope that I can provide some emotional support for you.

I knit one stitch at a time while listening to your stories.

I hope that along with the warmth of the knitwear, it will also convey the warmth of your memories.