With the various pressures that so many of us continuously have, it is no wonder that there is often a feeling of feeling burnt out, hopeless, stressed, tired, and irritated.
The CJSA team are constantly dealing with friends and family who need our assistance in a myriad ways, so in order for us to be able to be of service to others, it is imperative that we recognise the need to look inward and truly think about our own well-being holistically. If we do not routinely practise self-care on ourselves, how can we give self-care to others, i.e., family members, friends and colleagues?
These are some thoughts to assist with self-care: What steps can I take to care for myself? Am I able to maintain my boundaries? Am I saying “no” enough? How can I show myself more compassion? How can I practise caring for all parts of myself? These are not easy questions to answer or activate, but with practice we can certainly get closer to regular self-care and preservation.
We all deal with rigorous days including many important issues cropping up, often out of the blue. We all need to find moments of grounding, self-love, and gratitude more often. It is important to create the balance of validating ‘negative’ feelings while also holding enough space to find joy in simple things as it is easy to be annoyed or frustrated or stressed about so many issues throughout the day.
One can begin with small things to make oneself feel so much better immediately — write down a small list of things you are grateful for, a phone call with a friend, writing a thank you letter to a family member, driving to a local bagel shop to indulge in a warm ‘everything bagel’, and simply resting. Interacting with and talking to positive people in my life brings instant joy.
It’s important to honour your internal cravings and needs in a balanced and holistic way. There’s almost always a long to-do list to tackle every day, but it’s also important to integrate ways each day to honour the needs and wants of self. Some suggestions are to take a walk to get your blood flowing, sit and watch an episode from a new series on Netflix. Some suggestions may seem trivial, but if you take a moment to reflect about how you honour yourself by taking care of yourself, it will certainly help you to feel more energised, free, and happy.
Taking care of yourself is a gentle reminder of self-love. It’s not regimented but encourages you to grow both inwards and outwards. Whether it is emotionally or spiritually, it does make a large difference as taking care of yourself allows you to enjoy moments more deeply. Connecting with friends and family can’t always happen daily, but we can be reminded of beautiful memories we’ve created and look forward to future ones.
All of us have times in life that feel particularly like a ‘big deal’. But, we owe it to ourselves to honour our human nature, which includes navigating life’s highs and lows while taking care of ourselves. It can be challenging to practise self-care, but it’s an essential part not only of survival, but also living life on your own terms. I hope that it becomes important to each one of you.
Have a good month, be kind to one another and enjoy every minute of the day, no matter what you do.
Diana Sochen
Executive Director
Social & Personal
We congratulate members who have had joyous occasions during the last month.
Births: Phyllis Friedlander – great-granddaughter, Judy Resnick – great-grandson
Barmitzvah: Henny Bernstein – great-grandson, Len Swimmer – grandson
Marriage: Morris and Thelma Rozen – marriage of son
Welcome to new members: Ernest Kaplan, Abraham Mazel
Well wishes to those who have been under the weather: Brian Kirsch
Our wishes of strength for members who have recently lost loved ones:
Sue Lipshitz – Husband, Barry; Ernette Anstey – Husband, Len; Lesley and Susan Rabinowitz – Father, Bennie
Bennie Rabinowitz – We mourn his passing and at the same time celebrate a life well lived and well served. Bennie was larger than life and his generosity to CJSA will long be remembered. He loved having people around him and enjoyed entertaining. He took great pleasure in supporting our organisation with an annual Shabbat Dinner at Marais Road Shul which he generously hosted, together with his daughters, in memory of his beloved wife, Shirley. Bennie served as a Trustee of CJSA and, as a visionary, his wisdom and interest shown to the organisation was much appreciated by all who came into contact with him. He will be sorely missed by all who knew and interacted with him. We thank Bennie for living his life by always giving and thinking of others, and the CJSA family extend our condolences and wishes of Long Life to Lesley, Susan and Kelly. He will certainly be remembered warmly and with much respect.
Lucy Woolf – Lucy passed away peacefully just as Shabbat ended. She was an integral part of Milnerton’s Seniors, working in an administrative position as well as being a member of the organisation. Her love of community held no bounds, and she assisted wherever she could both in the community, and at Milnerton Shul. She also was a member of Lions for many years where she served those in need with kindness. She will be deeply missed by everyone with whom she interacted, and she certainly left her mark on each one of us. We hold her family Mark and Sanghajoyti in our hearts as they mourn her passing, and hope that her memory will always be a blessing.
Read more from CJSA this month: CJSA’s activities are enjoyed
Cape Jewish Seniors Association
Director: Diana Sochen, 021 434 9691, director@cjsa.org.za
Admin: Amanda, 021 434 9691, admin@cjsa.org.za
CJSA on Facebook
• Published in the June 2023 issue – Click here to start reading.
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