When life gets a little meshuggeh (overwhelming or chaotic), it can feel like the oil is running low and the nights are getting longer. Chanukkah reminds us that resilience is rarely about grand miracles. Most of the time, it is about showing up again tomorrow and lighting anyway. A little light. A little hope. We keep going.
These coping skills draw from the spirit of Chanukkah and offer practical ways to care for your nervous system, your relationships, and yourself. Think of them as everyday mitzvot (meaningful acts or good deeds) for hard days. No rededication of the Temple required. Just presence, intention, and maybe a bit of chutzpah (courage or nerve).
1. Light One Candle, Literally or Figuratively
Turn on a warm light, open your blinds, or light a candle if it is safe. Inviting even a little brightness can help steady your body and mind.
2. Svivon and Settle
Spin a dreidel and use the time it twirls to ground yourself. Inhale for 4, exhale for 6. Let the spin slow your breath and then let your body settle.
3. Let the Light Spread
Share brightness. Text someone a kind word, drop off sufganiyot, or call your Bubbe. Light grows when it is shared.
4. Keep Your Boundaries as Strong as a Maccabee
Say no when needed. Protect your energy like it is the last jar of oil. Strength is not doing everything. It is knowing what to guard.
5. Embrace the Mess
Life gets oily. Things spill. You are human. Instead of kvetching at yourself, say, “It happens,” clean up what you can, and move on.
6. Celebrate a Small Win and Write It Down
Jot down one win from today, no matter how small.
If the Maccabees could celebrate a single jar of oil and making it through the day, you can celebrate your daily wins too.
7. Connect With One Person
Check in with a friend, colleague, family member, or community member. A menorah does not shine with one candle alone.
8. Nourish Your Body
Have a snack that grounds you emotionally or physically. After all, Chanukkah practically encourages a comfort latke.
Chanukkah reminds us that resilience is built through repetition, not perfection. Lighting the candles happens night after night, even when the days are hard. In the same way, these coping skills are simple actions you can return to when things feel heavy. Sometimes resilience looks like taking a breath, setting a boundary, reaching out, or just getting through the day. One candle at a time, one day at a time, that is enough.
Wishing you a Chanukkah filled with light, resilience, and just enough oil to get through the week.
If you would like to continue this conversation or share your own reflections, please reach out to the CUJF Jewish Family Service Coordinator at [email protected].