Tips for preparing a funeral speech

Undoubtedly, preparing a funeral speech is a highly complex task. The scenario where a ceremony of this style takes place is an environment charged with strong emotions, emanating from the suffering of the loss of a loved one.

We will be sharing with an audience that is hurting, unstable and sad. Our words must be measured with caution so as not to provoke an effect contrary to the desired one. While it is true that nothing we say can dissuade the grief of those present, we must strive to provide a restorative message that motivates to overcome.

Each funeral ceremony has its own characteristics and peculiarities. Not always the degree of affectation among those present is the same, so it is important that we know how to adapt our message taking into account the circumstances mentioned above.

During the development of this session, we will be analyzing some of the basic recommendations that you should take into account when preparing a funeral speech. In this way, you will expand your knowledge about the development of this style of speech.

Naturalize the facts: Death is an inevitable process in the development of human life. When we lose a loved one, we deny the facts, look for culprits or perceive a certain degree of injustice in what happened. All of these feelings are detrimental to the period of mourning and coping on the part of the family members. Our message should be directed, in the first place, to the naturalization of the facts.

To naturalize the facts is to show what happened as part of the human life cycle. Nothing we do will prevent that for one reason or another we end up facing death. It is necessary to work with the family to emphasize the need to overcome and remember their loved one from a positive point of view, recalling moments of joy and affection.

Empathize with those present: Not all funeral speeches will be developed with the same degree of emotional intensity. Those present at this type of ceremony will not always be equally affected or require the same support. It is important that we know how to perform these readings intelligently. This requires the development of empathic skills that allow us to position ourselves in the audience's shoes. Thanks to empathy, we can share and perceive the audience's feelings and adapt our speech to meet their demands.

A basic rule behind funeral speeches is to elaborate a message that satisfies our client's wishes. This means that we must be precise in saying exactly what our audience wants to hear. If the family members' sadness and depression is not at its peak, we cannot be the ones to evoke this feeling. On the other hand, if our audience is emotionally unstable, we must be able to reduce the intensity of the emotions in an empathetic way, without showing indifference to the pain of others.

Develop an optimistic message. Avoid regrets: Our message should not be loaded with regrets and blame. These feelings will arise naturally in the loved ones of the deceased, so we should not contribute to their potential. We will work to share optimistic, positive and motivating ideas for improvement. We must know how to highlight the possible desire of the deceased, that his family, friends and acquaintances, remember him with affection and happiness.

Focusing on the importance of enjoying life and caring for the people around us today is one of the best ways to invite the audience to overcome grief.