SURVIVING GRIEF: 365 Days a Year

by Gary Sturgis

After the loss of a loved one, grief can become overwhelming and one of the most devastating experiences you can face in life. The death and subsequent aftermath are life changing. Author Gary Sturgis knows first-hand that grief is an everyday experience and dealing with the pain and sorrow on a daily basis can be a daunting task. Surviving Grief - 365 Days a Year is a follow-up to Gary's bestselling book Surviving - Finding Your Way from Grief to Healing. In this companion book, Gary offers you reassuring guidance and comforting advice as you travel through your personal grief journey. He provides a daily reflection for each day of the calendar year. Reading just one page a day will help you find hope as you progress through the healing process. Each day provides a unique perspective on the different aspects of grief and loss, to help you work through the pain of losing someone you love. Gary shares intimate details of the personal stages you'll encounter on your daily grief journey, and he once again throws you a 'life preserver' if you're drowning in your grief. After a loved one dies, each day can be a struggle. These easy-to-read daily reflections will help you find the courage and support you need. The grief journey is long, but this book will accompany you each day along the way.

732 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2022

About the author

Gary Sturgis survived the greatest loss of his life and now works as a Bereavement Facilitator guiding and supporting others in their struggle with grief.
Facilitating both Support Groups and Workshops, he finds it a gift to be able to help others navigate their way through the maze of grief in a very personal and meaningful way. He lives by the ocean in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[LaBeth Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very shortly after I suddenly lost my husband seven months ago today, I happened across excerpts from this book. I needed to read more so I ordered the book.

Although I knew in my heart where Steven is, it was not comforting to hear that”he’s in a better place” or “God has a plan and it was his time”. I needed and wanted him to be here with me as I still do.

Gary’s writings in this book reach my heart where I am every single day. I feel that I am not alone on this journey as he and so many others walk with me, and that it is truly ok to be where I am with no expectations, just getting strength to travel this road.

Next month would be our 50th wedding anniversary. I will somehow smile and cherish our memories.

[Mary Jo Wiseman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slightly different kind of review than I would normally do. You see this is the kind of book designed to be read one passage/one day at a time -- so my comments today are more about the thoughts/feeling I had upon receiving this book rather than after having read the book cover to cover like one would normally do with say a book of fiction but I felt compelled nonetheless to do it this way.

My book arrived one day last week and when I picked the package up knowing what was surely to be in the package, I was taken aback by the weight of the package/book and thought hmmm there must be more in the package then just "the book". Not so. Just the book.

But then I started to really look at the book, to feel the book: to admire the cover because: 1) it's striking; and 2) it reminds me of my sailing days with my husband Jim; to feel the paper, notice the page set up and fonts -- those things that make a book a book – and can entice one to buy it (or at least give it a closer look).

Without yet reading any of the daily passages, I began to feel the connection between the weight of the book and the weight of grief as a widow myself. It wasn't a negative thing by any means, and I started to think of the words that first came to my mind as I held the book in my hands like: strong, power/powerful, strength, weighty.

And then when I dug a little deeper into these words, I found descriptive words like: durable; solid; sound, clear cut; compelling; and intense under the word strong. Impactful; substantial; grave; momentous and significant under weighty. Force; might; energy under strength.

Powerful words -- all reflective of the thoughts and feelings and emotions we're feeling/we've felt as widows/widowers in our grief.

Pretty weighty. Pretty amazing. But also quite peaceful. So glad to have this book in my presence. It may be hard to stick to reading just one page/day at a time, but ….

[Hannah Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surviving Grief: 365 Days a Year is a gentle and compassionate guide for anyone navigating the difficult journey of loss. Gary Sturgis writes from personal understanding, offering daily reflections that acknowledge how grief can feel overwhelming and unpredictable.
The format of one short reflection per day works well, making the book easy to return to whenever support is needed. Each entry offers a small moment of comfort, encouragement, or perspective, reminding readers that healing doesn’t happen all at once but gradually over time.
What stands out most is the tone, warm, reassuring, and honest about the reality of grief. It doesn’t try to rush the process, but instead provides steady guidance and hope for those moving through one of life’s hardest experiences.

[Maya Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book feels like a quiet companion for the hardest days. Grief isn’t something you move past quickly, and Gary Sturgis really understands that. I appreciate how each daily reflection is gentle, honest, and never rushed. Some pages brought comfort, others brought a little clarity, and a few simply helped me feel less alone and that matters more than people realize.

If you're walking through loss, this gives you something steady to hold onto each day. It doesn’t pretend to fix grief, but it offers strength and hope in manageable pieces. A thoughtful, compassionate guide for anyone trying to survive life after loss.