Coping with the passing of a friend or family member is always difficult. Many of us look for ways to honor that person’s memory, searching for our own way to find peace with the situation and move on to continue our lives. Keeping the memory alive is one of the best things you can do in such a situation, and there are a number of different ways to do so.

While some prefer to keep photos and videos around, there are a number of unique ways to pay homage to a loved one that has recently passed on. In many cases, it can help you cope with their passing and assist you in moving on with life.

See that any unfinished business or promises are met

If you and your loved one made a promise or have business that went unfinished due to their passing, then one of the most powerful statements you could make is to honor it. Perhaps you made a promise to get fit, or maybe they wanted to see you become successful at something you loved doing. Or maybe it was something a lot more sentimental, such as a promise to revisit a particular location together when you grew older. Whatever the promise was, do everything in your power to see it through and keep your promise.

Once you finally reach your goal, you’ll be overwhelmed with a powerful sense of nostalgia, emotion and sentimental. For many people, those unfinished promises can be a strong sense of motivation that keeps your dreams alive. Never give up–the moment of success will be one of the sweetest and most emotional moments in your life.

Remember their birthday and do something special

You don’t need to throw a birthday party for them, but simply remembering the date and doing something special can help commemorate your meeting and the experiences that you shared. It can be tough for you when their birthday arrives, but you should consider it an opportunity to remember and celebrate the life of your loved one.

To make this easier on yourself, consider speaking to friends and family members that also knew them. Together, you can reminisce about the good days you had, talk about old memories and raise a toast to them. While it can be hard to cope with the passing of a loved one, surrounding yourself with positivity and friends can make it much easier to handle.

Cook or eat something that they really loved

According to psychologists, our sense of smell is intricately linked with our memories. People often feel nostalgic when they smell something familiar and it can cause a number of powerful emotions. So to make the most of this, consider honoring a loved one by cooking or eating something that they would’ve loved. Perhaps it was their favorite meal, maybe it was something you cooked that they enjoyed, or maybe it’s just their favorite sweets and snacks.

It can be an incredibly powerful and emotional moment, and it may even link your loved one with that particular food item. When you eat, smell or see it in the future, you’ll be reminded of your loved one and re-experience those powerful emotions and memories that you shared together.

Consider giving to a charity that supports your loved one

Your loved one may have had an affinity for something in life. For instance, they could’ve spent much of their life advocating to save the planet through environmentally-friendly practices, or maybe they volunteered at a local charity and used their free time to help others. Dig a little into the life of your loved one and see if they contributed to any good causes, then follow through and do the same by putting yourself in their shoes.

Alternatively, perhaps your loved one was suffering from something that ultimately led to their untimely passing. There’s a good chance that there are charities dedicated to helping those who are in similar situations. By donating to causes that could save others from the same fate, you’ll be helping to improve the world.

Get something special to remember them by

There are a number of different things you can get or do to help remember your loved one. One example would be urn necklaces for cremation ashes. These beautiful necklaces come in unique designs that also hold a small amount of the cremation ashes. Many people purchase these after a loved one has passed on to symbolize keeping them close to your heart at all times. Pendants and necklaces can also be engraved with special messages and designs to make them personal.

There are also other things to consider, such as a pet or planting a new tree to signify a new beginning for a life that has passed on. There are many different ways to help you remember your loved one through the creation of something new. With many of these examples, you can use your loved one’s name or favorite things to always keep their memory alive. This can include naming a pet the same name as your loved one or engraving their name and some details into something like a bench or even a tree.

Go a day in their shoes

How well do we truly know our loved ones? Even if you lived with them, there’s a good chance that there is still a lot to explore about their personality, their relationships and their favorite things in life. Take this moment to go a day in their shoes, visiting their favorite spots, eating the foods they love and conversing with their colleagues that you’ve never met.

Going a day in someone else’s shoes is a brilliant way to learn more about them. In some cases, it may be the only way to truly learn more about a person after they’ve passed on. It can be an emotional experience (and you might discover things that you didn’t want to) but it’s still an excellent way to honor their memory.