Working Towards Wellness: December 2025

[itsfi]

Happy holidays, BIC!!! The year has flown by and the days will only go by more quickly as we move closer and closer to the end of December. With all the events, festivities and holidays this month brings, the season can be a fun and joyous time, but it can also be a very busy, heavy and sometimes stressful one as well. It's important to prioritize self-care during the holiday season; consider this month's game of BWell bingo one of the tools  available to help you keep wellness top of mind. 

Wellness Bingo: December 2025

All are welcome and encouraged to take part in this wellness bingo challenge, wherever you are in your own self-care journey, and in whatever manner this challenge will serve you best. Wellness takes work; let's do the work together, BIC!

For more information on this month's wellness bingo activities, take a look at: <<links to be posted>>

• How To Play
• Rows 1 Thru 3 Activities
• Rows 4 & 5 Activities
• How To Post

[missjeanie]

@itsfi Hoping that running through a crowded mall while carrying shopping bags counts a cardio/weights combo for exercise! 

[itsfi]

Absolutely @missjeanie 👍🏻 those shopping bags can get heavy!! You get bonus points for doing it in a crowded mall. 

[itsfi]

A brief description of the activities in the squares for this month's Be Well bingo card is below. Please note: 

• Some squares on the wellness bingo card include more general activities or types of activities. The information included below serves as a guideline or example of how you might go about the activity described. There may be other ways to go about doing the activity/activities described. Looking forward to hearing what everyone does for the squares they mark off.

• For some activities, reference may be made to another resource or third party, each and every one of which are, to my knowledge (without inquiry) independent of, and not affiliated with nor endorsed by me, Sephora, its affiliates, unless otherwise explicitly noted.

• Safety first. If conditions are such that it is not safe to perform the activity in question, be it due to weather, the location, your physical, mental or emotional state, do not engage in the activity. Make any appropriate modification or skip the activity altogether. If there are limitations or conditions that may prevent you from safely undertaking the activity, consult with your health care professional to determine whether it is appropriate to engage in the activity.

• If an activity includes a time duration that you are not comfortable or capable of doing, adjust accordingly. Start with work works for you, whether that's starting out at 5 minutes or 10, or otherwise.

⭐ FIRST ROW:

JOY: 

Joy has the ability to nuture our well-being and brighten our lives as well of the lives of others. There are several approaches to cultivating joy as a form of self-care. Consider any or all of the following: 

• What brings you joy? Do that. Rinse and repeat.
• Who brings you joy? Spend time with them. Let them know (and, if you do, you can check off that "Gratitude" circle at Row 2, Column 3 😉). 
• 'tis the season of joy, but let's be mindful that that is not always the case for everyone. Checking in with a friend or coworker, reaching out to say 'hi' to someone you haven't spoken to in a while, or even just offering a warm smile and sincere "Happy Holidays" to a random stranger (if it's safe and appropriate to do so) can go a long way to the person on the receiving end of your time and attention, and can be a spark of joy for ourselves as well - aaaaand, if you went this route, in addition to this circle, you could score that "Pay It Forward" marker a couple circles below ⤵️.

Additional ideas to go about cultivating joy include, but are by no means limited to:

from "How to Cultivate Joy in Your Life (10 ways)" on the Thrive Personally site - thrivepersonally(dot)com - 

1.    Slow Down Sometimes

2.    Practice Daily Gratitude

3.    Spend Time with Uplifting People

4.    Take Care of the Body

5.    Let Go of What Weighs You Down

6.    Celebrate Small Wins

7.    Choose to See the Good in Others

8.    Create Quiet Moments

9.    Make Time for Life-Giving Activities

10.   Accept the Present

Also:

from Psychology Today, "Reclaiming Joy in a World That Feels Hopeless"

from Explore & Create

HEALTHY MEAL:

The holiday season can certainly bring a lot of food temptations and excesses. I think most things in moderation aren't bad, but a healthy meal can be a tasty treat as well. Balance those holiday treats with a healthy meal, be it one you make yourself, have delivered, order for takeout, re-heat, treat yourself to at a local eatery, or share with a friend, family, coworker or someone else.

WINTER WALK OR HIKE:

If the physical conditions (including you, the terrain, the weather, etc.) are appropriate, put on that sunscreen, bundle up, grab your water bottle, and head out the door for a winter walk or hike. Or, head to the gym or hop on your walking pad to get in some steps. 

PRIORITIZE SLEEP: 

Quality sleep - a well-rested brain and body - can play a crucial role in our wellness, our wellbeing.  7 to 9 hours per night is the recommended amount of sleep for adults for optimal cognitive function, memory and overall health, with consistency and quality sleep being key components to maintaining good health. It can be hard to make time for it with all the things we have on our plates, but every effort counts. If this is a self-care area that is new to you, consider focusing on one of these activities this week, next week, this month, etc., and continue to work your way through the list below, as you feel ready. [If you aim to work through this list, please feel free to go at your own pace. Check off the circle if you undertake one of these items.]

• Determine your sleep needs - how many hours of sleep do you need each night? This is not how many hours you need to get by but what is the optimal amount of hours of sleep per night for you at this time in your life? Determine your needs and make it a priority to achieve this amount.

• Establish a consistent sleep schedule and work on keeping to it as often as possible. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. This helps to regulate your body's internal clock. Look, I get this may not be practical (or desirable - sometimes, sleeping in is a good thing!), but maybe give it a try, taking it in doable pieces. When I first started trying this, I set 10/10:30pm as my target bed time, and would aim to start my digital detox around 9:30/10pm-ish. If I went out on Friday or Saturday nights, my goal bedtime would be pushed back to 12midnight but I wasn't too strict about it - I also didn't / don't go out that much so it's not really a problem but when starting out, I gave myself a broader window on the weekends.

• Create a wind-down bedtime routine. This signals the body to wind down. Ideally, the routine is something calming - reading a book, meditating, doesn't involve electronics or if so, minimally and its function is to aid with winding down - i.e., Headspace, audiobook, guided meditation app, etc.

• Create a sleep conducive environment in your bedroom. To promote better sleep, make your bedroom a cool, dark, quiet space. 

• Draw boundaries; learn to say 'no'. Be mindful of your commitments and how they may interfere with your sleep needs. Part of this is reframing the role of sleep in your life - prioritizing sleep is not about sacrificing other things in your life. It's about recognizing how getting quality sleep regularly contributes to your well-being and choosing for it. Or, at the very least, choosing for it more often than not.

CHECK IN: 

The hustle and bustle of the holidays can be fun but it can also be stressful and overwhelming. In either case, take some time to check in with any one of the following:

• with yourself
• with a friend, family member, co-worker
• with a healthcare professional

⭐ SECOND ROW:

EXERCISE: 

Let's get our bodies moving. Indoors or outside. Individually or with others. Let's get some physical exercise. Aim for 30 minutes if you are able - all at once, or broken up in smaller cycles throughout the day. If you're not feeling up to doing 30 minutes or it's not in your best interest to try for 30, go for 5 or 10. Exercise can come in many forms, including:

• Walking, running, biking, hiking
• Raking leaves, chopping wood,
• Wall workouts, yoga, pilates, resistance bands, weights, doing balance exercises
• Tai chi, martial arts
• Swimming, racquetball, pickleball, soccer, volleyball
• Dancing, HIIT, circuit training, bootcamp, cross fit, aqua fitness, rock climbing

INSPIRED:

What or who inspires you to look after your wellbeing or to make continued efforts towards your self-care? 

• Motivational quote
• Person
• Movie
• Event

Please feel free to share your inspirational quote or let the person who inspires you know. Or just claim your circle after you've completed the activity and move on to the next.

GRATITUDE:

What or who are the things or people you are grateful for? Some examples for practicing gratitude, include but are not limited to:

•  Making an effort / carving out time in your day to be thankful for (or more mindful of) the people, events and things in your life this week
• Letting someone know in an email, text, in person, etc. that you are grateful/thankful for them or for something they did
• Writing in a journal about the people, things you appreciate

HYDRATE:

Get in your daily dose of water, whether that's eight (8) 8-oz glasses or half your body weight. If you're exerting a lot of energy or working under conditions where you need extra water, get in that extra water and consider drinking some electrolyte water as well.

DECLUTTER AND RESET: 

Clutter can distract and overwhelm us, which in turn, may give rise to feelings of stress, anxiety, and the like. The clutter can take on many forms, too - we often think of it as things, like piles of paper or a ton of ... stuff, but it can also take the form of too many obligations or competing commitments, unhealthy relationships, things you've outgrown, etc. Decluttering can take on many forms as well, from completely removing the clutter to putting things in place to make it more manageable. 

A few examples of ways to declutter and reset as a form of self care, include, but are by no means limited to:

• Turn off notifications that drain your focus
• Say "No" without overexplaining
• Let go of outdated goals that no longer fit you
• Go through your closet (or start with a single drawer or shelf) and decide what stays and what goes (and make the items that you identify as going away, go away, whether to a local shelter, a charitable or not-for-profit organization, a friend, the recycle or garbage bin, etc.)
• Keep your phone out of the bedroom
• Limit multi-tasking to boost peace of mind
• Tidy one small area each day, not everything at once
• Prioritize relationships that feel safe and supportive
• Set boundaries around other people's drama

Many of these ideas are from and more can be found at herway(dot)net, "18 Ways To Declutter Your Life And Mind: A Self-Care Guide")

⭐ THIRD ROW:

PAY IT FORWARD:

To "pay it forward" involves doing a good deed for someone else, with no expectation to receive anything in return. There are several ways to pay it forward, including: 

• Being courteous: Let someone go in front of you in line - at line, on the road; return someone else's shopping cart
• Being grateful: Be grateful for the kindness of others; for some of us, it may also mean accepting help from others
• Being generous: Offer to help with errands or chores; share your knowledge or skill set
• Being kind: Offer (a sincere and meaningful) compliment, actively listen to someone when they're speaking
• Being positive: Offer kind or encouraging words to someone
• Donating: Donate blood, your time, money, goods to a charity; canned food to your local food bank
• Volunteering: Volunteer at local animal shelter, soup kitchen, your place of worship, a retirement home, 

I love hearing people share about how they paid it forward; however, I completely understand that tooting our own horn may not be the most comfortable thing to do, so if you prefer not to go into detail with what you did to "pay it forward", it's fine to just say "done" or to simply mark the card to show that it was done.

AROMATHERAPY:

Light a candle, use a room spray or diffuser, spritz yourself with some perfume or apply a scented lotion or oil to your hands, feet and body. Use scent as a way to calm, soothe, refresh, uplift. Fragrance can improve mood, manage stress levels, enhance relaxation, promote mindfulness.

FREE SPACE:

brought to you by Rudolph this month. 😉

Undertake a self-care activity or something that advances or promotes your wellness. Or, do nothing at all. That, too, can be a form of self-care in and of itself.

BE KIND:

Kindness matters. Be kind:

to yourself - in word or deed. Or both.

to others - be it a loved one, a relative, coworker, an acquaintance, or a stranger.

SEASONAL DRINK:

There are some great seasonal drinks to be had this time of year, warm or cold. Whether you make one yourself or buy one is entirely up to you. With or without alcohol. Be safe and drink responsibly if your drink involves alcohol. Always love seeing and hearing about everyone's seasonal drink of choice. Feel free to drop a pic or recipe here and/or on the What’s in your cup? thread.

[A heartfelt thank you to @Samtian for bringing to my attention last month the cold drink preference in such a gracious and kind way.]

[Description of activities for Rows 4 and 5 to follow in post below]

[itsfi]

Description of activities (continued):

⭐FOURTH ROW:

DIGITAL DETOX: 

Unplug from your electronics for 30 minutes / half the day / a full day. Duration is up to you. 

• If 30 minutes seems too long, start off small, with a 10 or 15-minute digital detox (or even 5 minutes) and work your way up from there.

• For those aiming to do a digital detox before bed, if reading on your Kindle, listening to music or a podcast on your phone or using an app like Headspace is part of your unwinding routine, please feel free to continue doing those activities (and consider it part of your digital detox) as they are part of and intended to promote your self-care, wellness. The intent here is unplug from social media, spending an excess amount of time (in the aggregate or in one sitting) staring at a screen, doom scrolling, etc.

CREATE:

With your hands. Your words. Your voice. Drawing, sketching, knitting, crocheting. Macrame. Writing music, poetry. Painting. Coloring. Taking Photos. Creating a Look / Doing Your Makeup. Making a new or new-to-you meal or dish. This can include spending time or taking part in hobbies, like bird watching, doing puzzles, etc.

BRAIN TEASERS:

Just as our muscles need exercise, so too does our brain, but instead of running, yoga or bicep curls or leg extensions, think 🤔😉

• puzzles and riddles, such as playing Connections, Sudoku, Wordle, or working on solving Rubik's Cube, crosswords, etc.
• card games, like Soltaire, Uno, etc.
• board games, including checkers, chess, Battleship, Clue, etc.
• video games
• learning (continuing to learn) a new language
• taking part in a scavenger hunt, dinner mystery murder game, or escape room

These are just a few examples of exercises for the old noggin. 

NEW TO YOU:

Learning is a form of self-care in that it affords us, among other things, the opportunity to grow mentally, emotionally and personally as well as improve our skill set and well being. It's also a way to keep our brain healthy - think of it as nourishment and exercise for the brain. 

This can be anything new to you - something you've never done before. Or, it can involve developing a different skill set within an existing area of expertise. Or, it can be giving yourself a "do over" - it can be daunting to step outside of our comfort zones, but it can be fun and rewarding as well.

A few examples of "new to you" activities to consider include:

• doing something completely new to you
• working on a new language (or continuing your work to learn a different language)
• learning a new skill - e.g., calligraphy, time management, graphic design, sewing, painting, public speaking, automotive repair, financial literacy, first aid, etc.)
• taking a cooking class, a course on creative writing, a welding workshop, or giving that HIIT class a try, etc.
• joining or forming a book club, the PTA, a bowling league, the gym, etc.
• developing an existing skill set by digging deeper into that field or learning a new/different skill within that area/industry - you can be a phenomenal baker but have never tried your hand at making pumpkin brownies. Or, you may slay when it comes to your blush placement but want to become the queen of contour this season.
• having a "do over" - sometimes we try something and it doesn't go well or how we planned or wanted it to go. Sometimes we get an opportunity to try again (e.g., spin class didn't go so well the first time? Hop back on that bike and give it another go. That pot roast didn't quite taste how it was supposed to? It's not gonna be delicious if you don't give it another try. 

ROUTINES AND HABITS:

Having a self-care routine or habit can be a useful tool in our work towards enhancing our overall wellness. Oftentimes, it takes a bit of trial and error to nail down what works for us, and occasionally, that routine or those habits will undergo some adjustments and possibly hit pause along the way, depending on where we are in life. Self-care routines can be as focused or detailed, brief or lengthy as you want them to be. The first step is to identify your needs or what you want to work on, and then to determine what is doable - practical and realistic - for you. A few ideas that might be worth considering about include: 

• Focusing on one particular area of wellness - in previous wellness bingo games, we've gone over different areas of the wellness. Here's a link to more information on the Wellness Wheel - 8 dimensions of wellness

• Setting a goal to accomplish an activity or certain activities in a week or for a month such as stretching for 10 minutes (or however long) every day for a week. Or, focusing on having a healthy meal twice a week every week for a month. Or, speaking kindly to yourself / being kind to yourself at least once a week for a month, two months, three ..., etc.

⭐ FIFTH ROW:

TREAT YOURSELF:

Taking intentional actions to look after your physical, mental and emotional well-being is a key component to self-care and can take many forms, including, but not limited to any of the activities listed below.  Remember, this is about you and what it looks like to treat yourself. The idea is to undertake an activity that is meaningful to you.

• Getting a massage, a mani/pedi, coffee, or a bite to eat with your significant other, a friend, relative, co-worker, or by yourself
• Taking a relaxing bath or spending a little extra time in the shower after a long day
• Getting enough sleep, sleeping in, getting to bed early
• Treating yourself to something you might not otherwise (or maybe that you would otherwise, lol) - a new pair of shoes, earrings, a lipstick, perfume;  coffee, a drink; flowers; a mani/pedi; a meal, dessert; a facial, massage, etc. If you're up for sharing what you picked up for yourself, feel free to head on over to the Delectable December Hauls 2025 thread - we always love seeing what fun things people are picking up for themselves or others!
• Spending time with friends or family you don't often see
• An afternoon to yourself; calling a housecleaning service for a day; signing up and taking a cooking class; dating yourself; spending the day at a museum, going to yoga/pilates, etc.

HOLIDAY FUN:

There's a lot of cheer to be had this holiday season - 

• Attend a holiday festival, tree lighting event, candle lighting ceremony 
• Make a handmade holiday card or craft or advent calendar
• Put together a gift exchange with friends, family, coworkers, etc.
• Volunteer at a local shelter or soup kitchen
• Take a carriage ride (bundle up!)
• Go ice skating (be safe!)
• Build a snowman or snowwoman or snowfamily
• Hide the Elf on the Shelf
• Go on a holiday scavenger hunt
• Take a walk or drive through a neighborhood to see their Christmas lights / displays
• Bake holiday treats (e.g., gingerbread house, sugar cookies, fruit cake?, yule log, etc) 
• Make holiday drinks 
• Go caroling
• Watch a holiday play or show - on TV, in a movie theater, at your kid's school, at a place of worship, at a community theater or a theater in the park
• Shop at a holiday market
• Organize and/or participate in a toy or food drive
• Volunteer to wrap presents
• Go sledding
• Attend or take part in a parade
• Grab some popcorn and settle in for a holiday movie marathon - if you find something good to watch, consider making a rec on the What are you watching? (Don't be a spoil sport - spoiler your spoilers) thread.

MUSIC:

Music can be an outlet for expressing emotion and well-being. It can help with healing, reduce stress, provide comfort. Find a song or a playlist of tunes that resonates with you and whatever mood or space you are in at the moment and turn up that beat! Sing your heart out. Dance as if no one is watching. Or, just sit in silence, taking in the lyrics or rhythm (or both) of the music. Feel free to share what you've been listening to, in your check-in and/or on the 🎶✨Song of the Day and Music Thread!✨🎶.

STRETCH:

Whether it's a full body stretch, or time spent on one or more parts of the body, aim for a period of 30 minutes or more. It can be done all at once or broken up in increments throughout your day - for example, 10 minutes of stretching when you get out of bed, 10 in the middle of the day, and 10 minutes before bed. If your new to stretching or 10 minute increments at any one point in your day isn't doable, start out with 5-minutes of stretching or aim to do 1 or 2 stretches in one sitting. Do what works for your schedule and what your body needs.

CELEBRATE:

The focus here is on celebrating YOU. It's similar to but not the same as "treat yourself" activity at Row 5, Column 1 (the start of this row). That involves engaging in an activity, and this does too, but in a different way. The intent here, is to recognize and appreciate the value of any or all of the following by, at the very least, speaking kindly to yourself about you - any or all of the items listed below, but all centered on you or what you've accomplished. Or your new beginnings. Your wins, small or big, or both. Or, all of the above. It does not need to be wellness related. And, hey, if you want to throw in a pat on the back, a champagne toast, or a fun treat, have at it! Celebrate:

• things completed
• new beginnings
• the small wins
• the big ones
• you - who you are

Excited to hear about your wellness activities this month, BIC! Here we go!

[itsfi]

▶️  How To Play:

The short-and-sweet of it is to just jump right on in, by undertaking one or more of the activities described 
in a circle. Once you've performed the activity, that circle is yours - check it off however you like. If you mark off 5 circles in a row, be it horizontally, vertically or diagonally, you've got yourself a bingo! It doesn't have to stop there (or start there), work towards checking off as many circles as you can, or clearing the board, by the end of the month. Just remember, be safe and make adjustments, as needed.

• Be Safe. Always be mindful of weather and safety conditions of your location, and your health and physical condition before engaging in any activities listed. For activities you're unsure of, especially the physical ones, consult with your physician or health care professional before starting an activity and make any adjustments, if and as appropriate.

• Length of Activities. Certain activities may include (in parens) a specified time for the activity. This is meant as a guideline, an example. If this is not something you feel comfortable doing, for whatever reason, perform the activity for a different period of time. Start out at 5 minutes and work your way up from there. If you can go for a longer period of time, go for it. Remember, this is about your wellness and your progress.

[itsfi]

How To Post:

Posting about your progress is completely up to you. If you feel up to sharing about the self-care activities you undertook, please do, no matter the number of activities! We love hearing about what worked or what didn't work for you. And, we're always looking to pick up some real life tips, tricks and techniques. 

To post, click "Reply" in the lower left hand corner of this original post and write away in the box that will appear. You can list the activities you performed, with or without your feedback on the activity, and with or without a photo. You can also attach a copy of the wellness bingo card with the applicable squares marked off, if you'd like.

[danielledanielle]

Thanks for keeping this going @itsfi !  There's some weekend gifts in here 🙌🏽

I gotta update Working Towards Wellness: November 2025 🙃🫠 though 👍🏽👍🏽

Okay, now I'm ready 😀

[itsfi]

Yaaaasss, great work on your November self-care bingo @danielledanielle! 

We started this year with some wellness bingo here on BIC; we're gonna close out this year with some wellness bingo! 😃