Working Towards Wellness: January 2026

[itsfi]

Happy New Year, BIC! Let's start 2026 with a fresh, fun and fierce month of self-care à la wellness bingo!
If you're new here (to BIC and/or to wellness bingo, welcome!! If you've taken part in a round of wellness bingo before, welcome back!

Self-care can be a very personal thing - what works for one person may not work for someone else. Practicing wellness is a process - it takes time and effort. We will have our good days and bad days - moments when we are thriving; and others when we need to pause, take a deep breath (or multiple ones, for that matter), and reset. 

Working towards wellness is a life-long, evolving process that takes into account our individual needs and circumstances. Self-care is not about perfection, but progress. Likewise, wellness bingo isn't about winning or being the first to get bingo or clear the board. It's about finding what practices we can incorporate into our daily / weekly / monthly routine to support, maintain and/or improve our quality of life. All while having some fun along the way. 

Getting Started

To help you get started with this month's game of wellness bingo, here are a few links that may be of interest to you:

How to Play / How to Post 
Description of Wellness Activities

• Rows 1 & 2
• Rows 3, 4 & 5

Looking forward to hearing about your wellness practices this month. Please join in as you feel comfortable. 

[Samtian]

@itsfi That's a better way of looking at it then books that have sat there for years...and years...

[itsfi]

I have a few books in that same place (sitting for years) @Samtian; kudos to you for making your way through them and moving on to another. Finishing one book is progress and better / more than none. 

[curlychiquita]

@itsfi Thank you for still including me! I know I’m not great at keeping up with the bingo itself.  I do most of the squares, though.

December was nuts. I worked until Dec 18th. My older son graduated from college on the 20th so we flew out for that on the 19th. Then I flew back with my younger son so he could take his last exam at his college before winter break, and my husband drove home with the older one. We went to visit family for the day for Christmas, which was almost 4 hours of total driving that day. That was fun but then I’m pretty sure I had a stomach virus for the next few days. Then I got better but I think I’m getting a cold. 🙄 On the fun side, my older son’s birthday is tomorrow; he turns 23.

You know I’ve been very busy at work, too. So for this month, I’m taking an actual meditation class! It’s at a local spa. I’ve always thought of taking one but it’s once a week in the evening for four weeks. I sometimes have business trips and was always afraid I’d have to miss a class I’d paid for. I think the next month should be safe, though. I will tell you that my body hates winter. Going out on a cold January evening when my body wants to go to bed may not go well. 😆. It overlaps into February. So while I may not do the bingo, I’ll let you know how the meditation class goes.  

Thanks again for starting the thread. I love reading what everyone is doing! 

[itsfi]

Oh wow, you had a rush of activities, and on top of the holidays, too!! Congratulations @curlychiquita on your older son's graduation; you and your husband must be so proud and how exciting for him! I'm so sorry to hear you may have caught a cold; you've been really busy and juggling a lot. I hope you are able to get in some good rest. 

I love that you will be able to take those meditation classes. Good for you @curlychiquita! Love that it's something you are doing just for you; it's well earned and much deserved! I know just the thought of heading out in the cold winter is not at all thrilling (because yes, winter is just not kind on the joints or muscles, etc.), but I do think that class may be a nice way for you to get in some dedicated time just for you and to unwind.

You may not be playing the game of wellness bingo this month but you'll getting in the self-care that it's intended to bring, and that's ultimately what matters most. I really am hopeful and excited for you for those meditation classes. Can't wait to hear next month how those classes turned out for you.

[curlychiquita]

@itsfi Thank you so much! ❤️

[itsfi]

A brief description of the self-care activities in the squares for this month's Be Well bingo card is below. Please note:
 
⭐  Some squares on the wellness 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 are other approaches to take. 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 parent company or 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 first to determine whether it is appropriate to engage in the activity.

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

⭐   Where a reference is made to a website and includes "(dot)" please replace the "(dot)" with a "." / period.

***

ROW 1

2026 Self-Care Focus: 

We all have area(s) of self-care where we want/need/like to devote a little extra time towards. Choose one, any one, activity or area to focus on this year* and either do that self-care activity or perform something within that area to check off this first box. Examples are below, but just a reminder; (i) they're just examples and (ii) if your self-care needs change during the year, feel free to change up this focus as well, as appropriate. Examples include:

• If fine-tuning or strengthening your social wellness health is an area you'd like to work on this year, consider checking out the Social Wellness Toolkit on the National Institute of Health website - nih(dot)gov - there's a PDF checklist you can download that might offer some "to do"s that are helpful or of interest to you.

• Maybe eating well or eating more healthy is a self-care focus for 2026? For a good read on eating healthier, you may wish to look at the article "19 Easy Ways to Start Eating Healthier Every Day" published by Very Well Health - verywellhealth(dot)com - in its November 2025 online edition.
• There are also food kit delivery services that others here have talked highly of (and made some delicious and nutritious meals from) and there are several websites that offer quick and easy recipes and tips and tricks for eating/cooking healthy. 

• Or, perhaps you want to work on using one or more of the products you have in your current collection. Consider joining the Pan It! - 2026 Challenge or the Shop Your Stash Challenge: Winter 2026 ❄️ 

• If you'd like to spend some time this year on going through your collection and taking stock of what you have, you might find the Beauty Challenge -- Twelve Months of Beauty Inventory to be what you need to help keep you on track during the year!

• There are a several different areas of wellness that you might consider focusing on this year. Our October 2025 wellness challenge included an activity where we revisited the "wellness wheel" - the 8 dimensions of wellness. I'll link to the post containing the description of the different areas of wellness. In that post, listed in parens is the month the particular wellness dimension was a focus of the BWell challenge. You may wish to go back and look at that thread to get more information regarding that particular wellness area and/or to see what activities others performed as part of that dimension of wellness.  Wellness Wheel (8 Dimensions of Wellness)

Aroma-therapy: 

Fragrance can improve mood, manage stress levels, enhance relaxation, promote mindfulness. 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, and/or uplift.

Eat a healthy meal:

Whether you're cooking at home, going out, getting take-out or having it delivered, or reheating leftovers, etc., sit down, slow down, and practice self-care by nourishing your body with a healthy meal. If you have a food pic or recipe to share, have at it here or check out the What's on your plate? thread.

Winter Walk or Hike:

Nothing like getting in some fresh air and a brisk walk or hike to awaken the senses and at times, to kick start or pause our day. With the temperatures hitting record lows in some parts of the world, be sure to dress appropriately, including bundling up. And wearing sunscreen and staying hydrated, if and as necessary. Remember to be safe - if you shouldn't be taking a walk outside for any reason, maybe open a window to get in some fresh air and then do some walking around the house.

Check-In with a loved one re: THEM: 

Things can get hectic at the end of the year and during the holiday season. January can also be a challenging time with dark, cold winter settling in - the January blues can be a very real struggle for some, impacting mood and energy. Take some time to check in with someone you care about, be it a family member, close friend, coworker, or perhaps even an acquaintance. 

This can be as simple as a genuine and sincere "how are you?" to meeting up over coffee or going for a walk (bundle up if it's cold out, and maybe grab a cup of coffee while you're at it!). It can be a conversation on the phone, FaceTime, over text, by e-mail as well as face-to-face. You can start by sending a card or with an invite to catch up - over a meal, drinks, a shopping trip, a mani/pedi, a workout, etc. It can be about you as well (and if it is, there's that Check-In with a loved one re: YOU box at Row 4, Column 4 that can be marked off), but be sure to make it meaningfully about them.

ROW 2

Brain Teasers: 

Just as our muscles need exercise, so too do our brains, but instead of running, yoga, bicep curls or leg extensions, think of the exercise for our brains consisting of: 

• puzzles and riddles, such as playing Connections, Sudoku, or 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

Give yourself permission to ... :

There are a lot of things we "should" do; heck, there are a lot of things we are expected to do. Some of those things are legitimate, and there are things we should do and things that are expected of us that are healthy for us, that are good for us. BUT there are also things that we need to do - things that are essential for our personal growth, for our authenticity, our confidence, our joy - that go undone. And, I'm sure there are any number of reasons for that, some valid and some ...  well, some just ones that we've become accustomed to, whether or not it's fair or healthy for us. But, for this month (and you're being given a heads up now, in future months 😉), give yourself permission to ... 

• Sleep in / rest
• Take the last cookie
• Close the door and have a good cry
• Laugh out loud
• Treat yourself
• Create without needing it to be perfect
• Acknowledge your needs
• Walk away
• Heal
• Ask for help
• Make mistakes
• Draw boundaries
• Enforce those boundaries
• Shine without apology
• Be you  
• Speak your truth
• Let things or people go
• Not be perfect 
• Pursue your dreams
• Live your best life
• ________ (fill in the blank)

Quiet Time - Journal - Meditate - Breathe:

Spending quality time with ourselves in solitude can be helpful to our well-being. No TikTok. No Instagram. No BIC. Spend some time in quietness, whether it be in the practice of being still or in meditation. Or, maybe you prefer to carve out some time in the day to journal (digitally or with pen-and paper). Or, take time out to focus on your breathing.

•  Quiet Time - Set aside some time to just sit (or lie down) and be still. The first thing to do is to identify how much time you want to spend being quiet. Start out by easing into if you're doing this for the first time or if you're just short on time - 5 or 10 minutes.

• Journal - Write down your thoughts, in general, or in response to a prompt/question. If you're looking for a prompt to get you started, check out the online article from silkandsonder(dot)com titled  "60 Fun Writing Prompts for When Your Journaling Practice Needs a Shake-Up"

• Breathe - There are a host of breathing exercises and techniques available online, including "10 Simple Breathing Exercises for Sleep and Relaxation" on the Oura Ring blog. If you do an internet search for "oura" and "10 simple breathing exercises" it should pull up an article titled "10 Simple Breathing Exercises for Sleep and Relaxation" - the post includes written instruction as well as illustration of the steps involved in the 10 different exercises described.

Financial Wellness:

I know, I know, why is she talking about financial wellness after the onslaught of sales and spending last month (and the month before and the month before and ...). As with all of the other areas of wellness, the more practice we put into something, the more progress we are bound to see. Financial wellness may not be the most glamorous or fun of the wellness areas to work on, but financial well being is a form of self-care. It can take on many approaches, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Create a realistic and reasonable monthly budget
• Track your spending, on your own, through an app, etc.
• Set financial goals for the future, on your own or with a trusted, independent, qualified financial advisor
• Listen to a financial, money or investment related podcast
• Save money every month - to invest, for a treat, etc.
• Hit "reset" or "refresh" on your efforts to be financially savvy - not all of us are great with managing our money, but every one of us can take one step to be a little better at it than we are. For some of us, we may have some habits we need to let go of or manage better. For others, we may just not know where to begin. Here's a chance to hit "reset" or "refresh" on our financial health - out with old bad habits, and in with better ones.

• While the article is a little dated, going back to 2019, "3 Easy Things Every Woman Can Do to Avoid Financial Stress" at healthywomen(dot)org offers some reasonable and realistic tips worth looking into. The third "Practice mindfulness" offers some straighforward, practical ways men and women can do to be better with money. 
    

Read - Audiobook - Podcast - TV / Movie: 

Read a book, a blog; listen to an audiobook or podcast; watch a TV show or movie. For leisure. To learn something new or further develop an existing skill set. As part of a DIY project or self improvement. To give you a break from the daily grind. To make you laugh, cry, feel the feels. To bring you joy.  If you discover a book worth reading, give a recommendation here or on the BIC book club! thread. Or, if it was a TV or movie you watched, let us know on theWhat are you watching? (Don't be a spoil sport - spoiler your spoilers) thread or right here on this thread.

[Descriptions for activities in Rows 3, 4 & 5 continue below]

[itsfi]

Description of activities continued

ROW 3

Digital Detox Before Bed (30 minutes):

Unplug from your electronics for a minimum of 30 minutes before you go to bed. Let your unwinding time really be about unwinding. Remember: 

•  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, keep doing those activities - unplug from social media, work, etc.

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

Exercise (30 minutes):

Let's get our bodies moving. Indoors or outside. On your own or with others. Let's get some exercise. At least 30 minutes if you can - 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, crossfit, aqua fitness, rock climbing

Free Space: 

Ahhhh, the free space! This square is all yours for the taking. You can choose to undertake a self-care activity for this square if you wish to do so. Or, you can choose to do nothing at all. That, too, can be a form of self-care in and of itself.

Joy List: 

What does joy look like to you? What brings you joy? For this square, (1) create a list of one or more activities that bring you joy and (2) do that activity / one of those activities. Examples include, but are definitely not limited to:

• going out with friends and family
• cuddling with your fur babies
• visiting a museum
• sitting down to dinner with the family, phones put away
• singing your heart out at karaoke night or belting out your favorite tunes in the car at the top of your lungs
• going for a run
• getting a mani/pedi
• knitting
• treating yourself to coffee / ice cream / cocktails / a pair of shoes / a new lipstick, etc.
• having a spontaneous dance party, even if it's a party of one
• gardening
• bowling
• baking
• beating your significant other at the latest version of Mario Kart
• reading a good book
• having a long late night conversation with a loved one
• going through old photos
• creating something with your own hands 
• other (________)

TIP: Keep your joy list close at hand for future reference (on your phone, the computer, or printed out and posted onto the fridge, your wellness board, or wherever it'll be handy for you to keep it). The list could be put to use as part of another wellness bingo board later in the year (hint, hint), or as a general resource if you ever find yourself needing a little extra spark of joy.

Gratitude: 

Gratitude is the heart's recognition of the goodness in our lives (big or small) on the days when we feel on top of the world as well as the ones when we struggle just to keep up with its challenges. To practice gratitude is to be thankful for something or someone, and to recognize it and acknowledge it. Gratitude can express itself in several forms, including the following:

The above screenshot is from a larger article from Positive Psychology - positivepsychology(dot)com titled "20 Gratitude Exercises & Activities to Boost Wellbeing"

I incorporate 1, 2, 4 and 5 with some regularity and find each to be extremely rewarding ways to practice gratitude. The practice of Gratitude Stretching is my twist (har har) on Exercise 3 (Gratitude Rock) and Exercise 5 (Gratitude Meditation) - as I'm holding a stretch pose, I say in my head or aloud, someone or something that I'm grateful for and why I'm grateful for it/them. 

ROW 4

Occupational Wellness:

Occupational wellness refers to self-care in your work environment (e.g., office, home, remote location, etc.) or creating an environment in your workspace that can cater to your self-care. This will mean different things to different people,, and will necessarily take into consideration the particular policies, pressures, rules and expectations of your workplace. A few examples of what occupational wellness might look like includes, but is not limited to:

• Packing a healthy lunch and/or snacks
• Stretching - if you spend most of your day in front of a computer, focus on your hands, arms, core, lower back, etc.. If you stand all day, focus some extra time stretching out your legs, calves, ankles, lower back, etc.
• (Actually) Taking your lunch break - don't eat at your desk while working; and, if applicable, taking your 15-minute breaks for that matter
• Making sure your workspace is safe, ergonomically sound, etc.
• Getting fresh air
• Staying hydrated throughout the day
• Staying connected with your colleagues. Check in with one another to see how people are doing.

If your in between jobs, self-care may involve 

• Building / maintaining healthy habits and routines while you await your next opportunity; 
• Learning to create boundaries to prevent burnout
• Engaging in meaningful activities volunteering, learning) that align with the things you value and that are important to you to create a balanced, purposeful and purpose-filled life (e.g., volunteering, working on personal growth, etc.)

Seasonal Fruits & Veggies:

Let's get in our fruits and veggies. This season offers a plethora of delicious fruits and vegetables. Roast 'em. Saute 'em. Add fruits or veggies to your oatmeal, salad, soup, pasta sauce, water, and/or smoothies. Or, just eat them as they are. If you have a farmers' market near you, grab a bag & head on over to see what's available. If seasonal fruits and veggies, or a farmers' market isn't easily accessible to you, or if that's not your thing, reach for what is available to you, whether a favorite of yours or something new-to-you.
 

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.

• Figure out 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 isn't always practical (or desirable - sometimes, sleeping in is a good thing!), but it might be worth a shot. When I first started trying to do this, I set 10/10:30pm as my target bed time, and would aim to start my digital detox around 9:30pm-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 with a loved one re: YOU:

Yep, your turn to share about you. It's like the activity in Row 1, Column 5, but the focus of the check in is all about YOU. Look, I get this might not be the easiest thing to do. You can always try making your check in time about both you and them; just make sure that everyone is feeling like they are being heard and attended to, including you. Especially you if you are the type of person who tends to put others' needs before your own. 

If it's really uncomfortable to initiate a discussion about yourself, consider sharing with them that one of the things you want to work on this year is wellness / self-care and that you're interested in focusing on _______ <<insert an area or activity you're interested in digging deeper>> and maybe share a little bit of why you chose that activity / area and/or what you might be hoping to achieve, etc. 

[NOTE: you could check off this square and the first square this way and possibly others on the board depending on the activity / area you shared about.]

Body Care: The Winter Edit: 

Looking after our bodies affects our physical health which in turn can have an impact on other aspects of our well-being, including our mental and emotional health. Body care as self care can take on many forms, from keeping our bodies fit (exercise), nourished (eating healthy; getting in fruits and veggies, staying hydrated) and well-rested (prioritizing sleep, having a good sleep hygeine routine, etc), and our minds engaged (brain teasers) and calm and clear (quiet time, meditation, journaling). 

In the winter months, with the chilly temperatures, wind and rain, our skin and muscles can use a little TLC as well. Some ways to look after our bodies this winter include:

• Moisturizing skin from head to toe with product(s) that help combat dryness, flakiness and irritation and help maintain / strengthen the skin's natural moisture barrier.

• Having a good, emollient lip balm (or lip oil), tinted or otherwise to protect the delicate skin on our lips from wind, rain and cold temps.

• Likewise an effective eye serum or cream to protect the thinner skin around our eyes from dryness and irritation.

• Dialing back on harsh exfoliants and choosing for gentle exfoliating products that help to slough away dead skin cells and smooth the skin's texture without compromising or adversely impacting the skin's natural barrier.

• Making sure we have adequate clothing when making our way outside. No, I'm not talking about where your shoes or coat are from (but if you've got a winter style you want to share, be sure to mosey on over to the The Fit, The Fab and The Face: Outfit and Inspo Thread thread). Items like gloves, hat, scarves or heavier coats, sweaters, jackets, etc. help to prevent our skin from windburn and frostbite.

• Using a humidifier to keep our skin's moisture and healthy levels, particularly given that the combination of cold weather outdoors and central heating and hot showers indoors can cause skin to dry out and become irritated, itchy.

ROW 5

Hydrate:

Whether your daily water intake requirements are 8-glasses a day, half-your-body-weight or another metric, get in that water! Drink it warm or cold; with or without ice plain; with a slice of lemon, or herbs, or both. Or jazz it up with some water drops. Or reach for some coconut water or electrolyte infused water. Keep and maintain healthy hydration levels by sipping on water throughout your day.

Create - Arts - Crafts - Hobbies:

Creative activities can be a meaningful form of self-care, providing an outlet for stress, promoting relaxation, and assisting in regulating emotional and mental well-being. Examples of self-care through arts, crafts, hobbies and other creative activities include:

• Painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics
• Writing stories or poetry, journaling, writing a letter to yourself or someone else
• Playing a musical instrument, singing, dancing
• Sewing, knitting, crocheting, macrame, pottery, making jewelry
• Photography, video design, editing, making films, making a collage
• Arts, crafts, architecture, creating a scrapbook, decorating the house, etc.

Let it go ... :

What that "it" is, is up to you. "It" can be:

• too much stuff (clutter; possessions, etc.)
• too many competing obligations
• a past mistake
• an unhealthy relationship
• an inaccurate belief about yourself (or your abilities) that limits or hinders you from achieving something or from living your best life
• unreasonable or unhealthy expectations of others
• others' unreasonable or unhealthy expectations of you
• inner criticism / negative self talk
• comparing yourself to others
• dwelling on the past
• needing constant attention / approval
• procrastination
• perfectionism
• rushing through life
• people pleasing
• excessive / constant screen time
• other (_________)

How to go about letting it go will likely depend on what it is that you are seeking to let go, the circumstances surrounding that, and your own personal style. Some resources that may be helpful to you include:

• For getting started with letting go, check out the article "Shed, Shift, and Begin Again: The Power of Letting Go" from Psychology Today - psychologytoday(dot)com - there's a section on "5 Ways to Practice Letting Go" in this article that may be worth reading.

• For letting go of being attached to your phone / phone anxiety, there's a helpful article on bemorewithless(dot)com titled "10 Gentle Ways to Break Up With Your Phone (Without Missing It)" that offers some practical tip 

• For decluttering beauty products, check out: "How to Declutter Beauty Products in Just 15 Minutes a Day" from simplelifeofalady(dot)com or "How to (Finally) Declutter Your Beauty Supplies, According to Organizing Pros" from Real Simple online - realsimple(dot)com

Music-therapy:

Music can be a powerful tool as we practice self-care. It can help to reduce stress, lift us up, and serve as an outlet for regulating and expressing our emotions, whatever that emotion may be. It can offer us an opportunity to be carefree, singing at the top of our lungs with wild abandon or deeply contemplative, sitting in silence, ruminating over the lyrics or getting lost in the melody. It can afford us a chance to let go of feelings long hidden in our hearts and a way to release the built up stress and anxiety we hold in our bodies as we dance to the rhythm and beat of the song.

Is there a song you've been enjoying a lot? Or have you discovered a new fave? Let us know in your check-in or share your fave tune or playlist to the 🎶✨Song of the Day and Music Thread!✨🎶. 

Stretch (30 minutes): 

Go for a full body stretch or focus on one or more body parts. Set aside 30 minutes to stretch those muscles at once or break up your time throughout the day, fitting in what works for you when you can, whether it's 5 minutes during your morning or afternoon break, during your lunch period, by way of your yoga, pilates, barre or ballet class, or as part of the warm up or cool down before your cardio or weight training session. Tailor your stretching routine (the movements and the duration) for what your body needs and what you can carve out in your schedule. For example: 

• If you sit in front of a computer all day, consider spending a good chunk of this time on your hands and wrists, along with your neck, shoulders and core.

• If you stand all day, maybe you want to focus some extra time on your legs and back. 

• If you don't have 30 full minutes to spare (or if that's just a long time to devote to stretching), break it up for something that's more realistic for your schedule, your body, your lifestyle - maybe it's 3 10-minute sessions throughout the day.

• Maybe it's a series of 2 - 5-minutes stretches while you're on hold, on a video conference call (a great time to do some ankle stretches without anyone seeing what you're doing on screen).

• Or, maybe you start off the month trying to get in 10 minutes a day and work your way up to 30 over a longer stretch of time (pun completely intended).

[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 square. 

✔️Once you've performed the activity, that square is yours - check it off however you like. If you mark off 5 squares 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), feel free to work towards checking off as many squares as you can, or clearing the board, by the end of the month. 

✔️ Just remember, be safe and make adjustments, as needed.

✔️  Have fun!

⚠️   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 physial 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.
 

📱  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.