Hi all,

A while back there was some good discussion from the list proposed from a
medical officer of health on staying healthy.

Today on the workfare watch E-mail list a list member posted this in
response to my query about self caring.  I really liked it and thought I
would share it with you people.

S


--- Sherrie wrote:

> G,
>
> You raise another important item for me, self caring for activists.
>
> I wonder if we could use this space to talk about the toll that this work
takes on us and
> strategies we can use to cope better.
>
> Black humour is important to me,  what about other people?
>
> S


For me, living on $490.00 per month and using a borrowed computer and
internet connection to try
to take small steps toward change, doesn't feel very much like "activism"
some days. From time to
time even on the worst days, when the whole damn planet feels like it's
going to rise up and snuff
out even this meagre existence, I've still tried to abide by these simple
 rules. They're probably
a little more "basic" than the one's you were looking for, but then you
never know who might be
reading this, now do you. Not neccesarily in order of most importance,
except for the first one.


1/ EAT at least one half decent meal a day. Even when you don't feel like
it.

2/ Get the hell out of your place (if you've got one), at least once a day.
My mother used to call
it "getting the stink blown off you".

3/ If you don't have a place, treat yourself at least once a day to
spending some time in any
available public place of relative warmth or coolness. Screw THEM.

4/ Try not to pay too much attention to the media and signage around you
that keep telling you
that you're fighting for a lost cause. They're lying weasels.

5/ Try to have at least one conversation per day with another human being,
that isn't about how
much your life sucks. Although if that's all the conversation thats
available, do it, it's better
than nothing and no contact at all.



T


P.S. If it wasn't for dark "humour", this journey would've been over a
while ago.



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