Loss has a way of bringing us face-to-face with the fragility of everything we hold dear. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a job, or even a part of ourselves, each kind of loss chips away at what once felt solid, leaving us wondering how to move forward when the road has been ripped out beneath us. But as painful as loss is, it’s often through these experiences that we uncover deeper meaning, resilience, and new parts of ourselves we never knew existed.

Loss can look as different as the individuals who experience it. Losing a loved one feels like having a piece of your heart taken away—something that no amount of words can ever fully capture. Then there’s job loss, which may come with a cocktail of self-doubt, financial anxiety, and a questioning of identity. And sometimes, we lose pieces of ourselves: our youth, our idealism, or a part of our health. Each type of loss comes with its own “flavor,” yet all carry an undertone of grief and adaptation.

Statistics show that about 57% of people will experience a significant personal loss by the time they reach 30, while 46% will lose a job by the age of 40. These aren’t just numbers; they’re lived realities that, though common, are deeply personal. It’s like being handed a puzzle with pieces missing—suddenly, the picture you were forming changes, and the challenge is to redefine what “complete” looks like.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross popularized the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It’s a neat framework, but in reality, most of us are probably doing an awkward cha-cha between stages. We bargain one day, accept the next, then feel a surge of anger or denial out of nowhere. It’s more of a messy scribble than a linear process, and that’s okay.

Think of it like a storm at sea. Some waves are colossal, knocking us off course. Others are gentle lulls, moments of calm that give us a glimmer of peace before the next wave hits. The key isn’t trying to control the storm but learning to weather it. And sometimes, the best we can do is hang on.

Coping with loss isn’t about “getting over it”—it’s about learning to live alongside it. Psychologists often talk about the concept of “continuing bonds,” which is the idea that, rather than severing our connection to what we’ve lost, we evolve it. If it’s a loved one we’ve lost, that could mean honoring their memory in our everyday lives, whether by cooking their favorite recipe or listening to the music they loved.

In the case of job loss, studies show that those who frame the event as an opportunity to reassess their values or learn new skills tend to have higher rates of resilience and job satisfaction in the long run. It’s like finding a “new normal”—a way to reshape our life with the missing piece still in mind.

Losing a part of yourself, whether it’s health, ability, or belief, can be even harder to navigate because it feels so internal. For instance, many who experience serious illness report a form of “loss of self.” Here, building resilience might look like finding ways to channel energy into something we can control, like a creative project or forming new routines. Rebuilding from these losses is a lot like learning to paint with new colors after a few of the old ones have disappeared.

Loss doesn’t ask us for permission, and it doesn’t come with a return policy. But some of life’s richest, most meaningful moments are born out of our darkest experiences. Research shows that people who experience significant losses often report higher levels of gratitude, empathy, and a newfound appreciation for life. It’s a bit like pruning a tree: painful, but the new growth is more vibrant than before.

Losing a job may force us to pursue the passion we’d shelved, and losing a loved one often deepens our connections with those we still have. In a way, loss is a brutal teacher, but it’s one that often leads us to places we might never have gone otherwise.

In the end, loss isn’t something we “get over”—it’s something we learn to live with. We pick up the pieces and build something new, bit by bit. And maybe, just maybe, we find that the picture we’re left with—though forever changed—is one of unexpected beauty and resilience.

As they say, life is like a camera: focus on the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, take another shot. Because if there’s one thing we learn from loss, it’s that every ending is just the beginning of a new frame.