JAKARTA - The Community Foundation for Women Caring and Sharing (KPPB) founded by Meiline Tenardi held an exclusive workshop entitled "When Life Feels Empty: Finding Meaning, Connection & Yourself Again" as a reflection space for women to rediscover the meaning of life, build connections with themselves, and improve mental health and psychological well-being.
The activity which took place on Friday (24/7) was attended by around 150 participants from various circles, ranging from professionals, entrepreneurs, communities, community leaders, to the general public.
The workshop was a response to the increasingly complex challenges faced by modern women, who often have to play multiple roles as professionals, mothers, wives, children, leaders, and members of society.
Women Need Space to Take Care of ThemselvesKPPB founder, Meiline Tenardi, said the theme of the workshop was chosen because many women are busy carrying out various responsibilities to the point of forgetting their own needs.
"We all know that today's demands for life are increasingly complex. Many women carry out various roles at once. Carrying out all these roles requires great energy, not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally," said Meiline.
According to him, busyness and various achievements do not always make a person feel complete.
"Busy can fill our calendar, but it doesn't necessarily fill our hearts and souls. We are often busy taking care of relationships with spouses, children, families, friends, and colleagues. However, there is one relationship that also needs to be continued to be maintained, namely the relationship with oneself," he said.
Meiline emphasized that the workshop was not because every woman was considered to be experiencing problems or emptiness.
"We present a safe space to take a moment, reflect, recharge, and rediscover meaning, connection, and yourself. We believe that taking care of mental health is an important part of quality of life," he said.
The workshop featured Ratih Ibrahim, Senior Clinical Psychologist and Founder & CEO of Personal Growth; Ineke Machdi, Breathwork Facilitator; and Antaresa Hendita, Counselling Practitioner. All sessions were moderated by Andini W. Effendi.
In her presentation, Ratih Ibrahim explained that loneliness (loneliness) and emptiness (emptiness) are two different psychological conditions, although they are often interrelated.
"Someone can have many friends, a good family, even an active social life, but still feel empty. Empty feelings often arise when a person loses connection with himself, loses meaning, direction, or purpose in life," explained Ratih.
He also invited participants to be more sensitive to the signals given by the body.
"The body often speaks before the mind. Breathing becomes short, the shoulders feel tense, it's hard to relax, or it's easy to get tired. Recognizing these signals is the first step to understanding your own condition," he said.
Breathwork Helps Calm the MindComplementing the psychology session, Ineke Machdi introduced breathwork techniques as a simple way to help a person come back to being present for themselves.
According to him, many people live in a rhythm that is too fast so that they forget the body's need for rest.
"Breathing is always with us, but we often ignore it. When we breathe consciously again, the body begins to feel safe, the mind becomes calmer, and we give ourselves the opportunity to really be present in the moment," said Ineke.
Through the practice of breathwork, participants are invited to experience how breathing exercises can help calm the nervous system, increase self-awareness, and support the process of mental and emotional recovery.
Self-Care is Not a Form of EgotismMeanwhile, Antaresa Hendita reminded the importance of building a healthy relationship with oneself in the midst of various demands of life.
He assessed that many women are used to meeting the needs of others, but often ignore their personal needs.
"Taking care of yourself does not mean being selfish. When we know ourselves, understand the limits of our abilities, and give space for our needs, then we have a greater capacity to be present for our family, work, and the people we love," he said.
According to Antaresa, big changes can actually start with simple steps.
"Sometimes all we need is the courage to stop for a moment, listen to ourselves, and ask honestly, 'What do I really need today?'" he said.
Promote Awareness of the Importance of Women's Mental HealthIn addition to presenting interactive discussions and breathwork practices, the workshop is also equipped with health examination services and relaxation sessions as part of a holistic health approach.
This activity is supported by Mobiliari as the main collaboration partner, along with Personal Growth, Breathwork Indonesia, School for Moms, a number of media partners, supporting partners, and the KPPB team.
Through the implementation of the "When Life Feels Empty: Finding Meaning, Connection & Yourself Again" workshop, KPPB hopes that more women will realize that maintaining mental health and psychological well-being is an important part of a healthy life.
"We hope that each participant will return not only with knowledge, but also with new perspectives, new energy, and the courage to continue to care for the most important relationship in life, namely the relationship with oneself," concluded Meiline.
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