The actress said she's 'trying to be grateful for everything' and reflected on being 'present' in her life.
Riley Keough is opening up about grief and loss. The actress is reflecting on her emotional journey in the year following her brother's death.
Speaking with InStyle, the 32-year-old Zola actress -- who is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and granddaughter of Elvis Presley -- explained how she's been dealing with the loss of her brother, Benjamin Keough, who died by suicide on July 12, 2020.
"I'm really consciously trying to be present, and not use anything as any kind of escape, and be cognizant of when I'm doing that," Riley shared in her interview, explaining that she's actively not burying herself in work, or any vice for that matter.
Looking back at the past year, the actress said she's "generally trying to be grateful for everything at the moment," considering the uncertainty that she, like so many over the course of the past year and a half, have had to suddenly learn to deal with.
"[I'm] trying to operate in love, and keep my heart open, and give and receive love. And not in a woo-woo way, because I definitely have hard days, and all kinds of pain and suffering and all that," she shared. "But I think when you realize that's part of it, and your expectation isn't to just be feeling joy."
"That's been a real shift for me in finding those moments and things to smile about," she added.
The Logan Lucky actress has paid tribute to her sibling over the last couple of months. Shortly after his death, she got his name tattooed on her collar bone in cursive writing. In October, Riley celebrated what would have been Benjamin's 28th birthday by posting photos of the two on her Instagram.
In March, Riley took to Instagram to reveal that she's completed her training as a death doula -- also known as an end-of-life doula or death midwife -- who helps the terminally ill and elderly and supports them emotionally and spiritually in their finals days. Riley's post featured a Rumi quote, which read, "Be a lamp or a lifeboat or a ladder. Help someone's soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd."
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