Wellness In Progress: November 2024

[itsfi]

Hey there, BIC! I don't know about you, but keeping up (or even just doing) things for my own wellness or self-care can slide off my radar or just get pushed aside for some other activity. That happens even more often at the end of the year and with the holidays.

Here we have a game of wellness bingo for November. I thought it would be a fun way to try to keep at it, or to keep it top of mind, by making a little game of it. I also thought this might be a good way to get a leg up on resolutions for the new year. Wellness takes work - let's do the work together, BIC!

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

🌻  There are a couple of ways to participate. You can aim every week (or every month) to try to check off a different 5-boxes in a row - vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. OR, to add a different take to this wellness challenge, you can use this sheet to see how many boxes you can check off this month. Those are just 2 ways to participate; I'm sure there are other ways and if there's an approach that you find works better for you to get in a little more self care, more regularly, please do share! 

BONUS CHALLENGE: This challenge is certainly one you can do on your own. It's also something we can take part in together! Share about the activities you did to earn each square. I love hearing from this Community - I learn about new things I wouldn't have thought of otherwise. Or, share challenges or questions.

🎀  We are all at different stages of our wellness / self-care journey. I'm not at expert at all at this and if there's an activity that is not something you are ready for or that you shouldn't engage in, make the adjustments you need to, or just skip the activity. For instance, the first square is to take a walk outside - if it's storming outside or you're in an area where it is not safe to walk outside (e.g., weather advisory, shelter-in-place, etc.), then skip this one and stay indoors. Be safe. For some of these activities, particularly the physical ones, please consult with your physician or health care provider before starting, if and as appropriate. 

⏲  The time periods I included are arbitrary - if you want or can do more than a 10 minute walk outside, go for it. If you're starting out or if you're crunched for time, aim for 5 minutes and work up when, if and as appropriate for you.

🗒  Wondering about the activities mentioned in the squares? Check this out - Wellness In Progress: November 2024 - Activity Summary

[Titian06]

@itsfi - The two I enjoy the most are my weekly manicure and scalp scrub and deep condition.

[itsfi]

Ahhh, last week of November! 🍁🍂

(photo taken earlier in the year)

My self care activities this week are noted with the blue-green stars. I'm inspired by @ather's self care activities to give my nails some TLC tonight with cuticle oil and hand lotion. 

✍️  Quiet Time/ Journal: Journaling is very cathartic for me and I often express myself better in writing. I haven't really been as consistent with journaling this year as I have been in the past, so it was nice to get back into a little bit of a cadence with it this week and I'm hoping to do it more going forward.

📣  Speak kindly to yourself:  I debated whether to go for this square or use a hand mask to check off the hand care square. The latter would have been easier, even if I was dealing with a slightly injured hand and finger. An opportunity actually presented itself when I was revisiting something and having an internal monologue over it. I ended up journaling about it (oooh, journaling twice in the same week - go me!) and "spoke" kindly to / about myself while doing so. This form of self-care will, like others here, be a continual work in progess for me, but work on it, I shall try.

📖  Read for leisure: I took a bit of a break from reading for a couple of weeks earlier this month, but got back into the swing of things with the break and finished a book I've been working through. It's not the genre I generally go for, but it was well written and I did enjoy reading it. I'll leave more detailed thoughts on it on the BIC book club! thread later today.

⛅ Get outdoors (Remember SPF): I ran around and after a group of kids at the park earlier this week. Got some fresh air, some sun, some exercise, and a whole lot of exhaustion. My goodness, they have a lot of energy. So thankful for that coffee shop across the street! So. Thankful. 🙏

👣  Foot care: There's nothing quite like a foot soak and foot mask at the end of a long day.  Ahhhhhh!  

🛠  Tool time - Self-care edition: I've been getting into a better, more consistent routine with the PEMF mat and it's been so good for muscle tightness, soreness and for warming up and relaxation. A spendy but worthwhile investment. One of those things that I am reminded of its benefits when I've stepped away from it for a bit and then come back to it. 

 *** 
📰  FYI - a new wellnes bingo card is up - check out Wellness In Progress: December 2024 - while many of the self-care activities from this month's B Well card have been carried over, some with modifications, there are some new wellness to-do's that are new and tailored to the season!  Tagging folks who have responded in one fashion or another to this month's challenge - @ather @blackkitty2014 @caitbird @danielledanielle @fatimamummy @greeneyedgirl107 @heartsmyface @Mellmars1185 @PDXXXX @peculiarzmakeup @PrettyPaint @Samtian @Titian06 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Wonderful wellness progress!!

[caitbird]

@itsfi  awesome job! You checked off everything too, that's amazing work! This thread has been so fun for inspiration and support and I've loved participating, and following along and seeing everyone's progress and getting ideas too. Thank you for making this thread and encouraging us all with our self care!

I will post my final November wellness progress momentarily, and look forward to the December thread!

[ather]

@itsfi  Great job!!!! I love that you got to journal twice!! That’s amazing. I agree it’s so cathartic! 

Speaking kindly about myself is definitely the hardest. But always a work in progress. I actually purchased some affirmation deck to help with it. I pick one and read it every morning. 

[Samtian]

No Bingo but I am proud of the progress I did make!

Try something new- I tried Greek Pita's and I'm hooked. I want them all the time now. 

Kind to myself- I hit personal record breaking numbers on my line at work and I was very proud of myself.

Hand care- Best hand care includes the Sara Happman Marshamallow hand creme- I probably spelled that wrong.

Aromatherapy- Lit some candles and wax melts. 

[itsfi]

@Samtian!!! Your update has me grinning from ear to ear! 😍 That's awesome that you're hooked on pitas now. They're delicious, aren't they?!

Wow! Huge congratulations to you for your record breaking numbers! You work very hard and it must feel so good! 🎉

 

[peculiarzmakeup]

You did awesome! @Samtian I see a diagonal bingo!! And I love Greek pita as well! It is so good! Marshmellow hand cream? That sounds amazing. Amazing achievement as well! Candles and wax melts are always so calming I love how they fill the room with the scent, what are your fave scents? Great job! 🙂 

[caitbird]

@Samtian  awesome job! And I think you did get a (diagonal) Bingo! 🎉

[Samtian]

@caitbird @peculiarzmakeup @itsfi I didn't even notice, thank you! BINGO! B-I-N-G-OOOOH!

[itsfi]

Yes, she did @caitbird; good eye!! You got in some awesome self care activities @Samtian  aaaaannd BINGO! 

[peculiarzmakeup]

Amazing job @itsfi  I love that photo btw and i love how you spoke about expressing yourself through writing and having a good book is so awesome. I’m glad you were kind to yourself and chose the oppurtunity to be kind to yourself, I think there’s a lot of mindfulness and prescense to it. I love the idea for December I thought this thread was incredibly uplifting and really helpful. Loved it can’t wait for December’s board and congrats on completing so many bingos!!! ❤️

[itsfi]

Awww, thank you @peculiarzmakeup! And, thank YOU for making this thread uplifting and helpful. That's all you and others who have shared their bingo card, or who have talked about what they've done during the month,or  who have offered encouragement and cheer through replies or giving hearts to comments, or both.

[peculiarzmakeup]

Thank you! It was such a great reminder to encorporate these things and it was so fun to see what everyone did for their activities, I consider engaging and interacting upon everyone’s unique experience to be a huge part of the bingo spread! Very motivating and so much inspiration 🙂 ❤️ @itsfi 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi Thanks for starting this again for December. I laughed when you said that playing with kids necessitated a trip to the coffee shop. Totally agree.

Hmmmm...kind self-talk is so difficult. I don't think I've learned that skill yet in life. However, I'm glad you were able to write kindly about yourself via journaling because you are truly such a kind, thoughtful person.

[itsfi]

Oh my goodness @PrettyPaint, there was a lot of joy when I saw that the coffee shop was open. 😅 Brilliant businiess decision to put one there - at the corner of the residential block, across from a playground that caters primarily to children. It's like the strategy of having a cupcake shop next door to the entrance of a gym. 

Yeah, I often think kind self talk is one of those things that is continually a work in progress. Like, we're all learning to and working towards (sometimes more activitly working towards) do / doing better day by day. We'll get there! 

[PDXXXX]

@itsfi you have so many good tips packed into this! Getting back into journaling more is one of my goals and this gave me some cool ideas. Thank you for carrying this forward with the December group, it's such a good tool!

[itsfi]

@PDXXXX, I've been motivated and inspired by everyone's wellness activities. I love being able to find new ways to go about my own self-care by seeing what others are doing. Ahhh yes, yes, yes - getting back to journaling is on my short list of resolutions for the new year. Using December as a springboard for it. 

[danielledanielle]

I officially deem you the Baroness of Barometer with these wellness checks @itsfi 

Itsfi, Baroness of Barometer, Her Royal Highness of Flatlay and Flyness, Ambassador of Enabledom

[blackkitty2014]

Any of these titles sounds really good to me @itsfi @just needs to pick one @danielledanielle 😘🥰

[ather]

I have done all the easy for me squares. I have marked the ones I have completed with a heart! 

So now I need a plan to work on the rest! 

Actually I can mark off hand care tonight. I painted my nails a beautiful red! And I will apply some cuticle oil before bed! And for body care I shall remember to apply some body lotion after my bath tonight!!