Working Towards Wellness: July 2025

[itsfi]

Hey BIC, let's kick off the latter half of the year with some wellness bingo! Whether you're just starting out wit focusing on your self-care or you're a seasoned pro at it; or, you're somewhere in between, with your good days, and your not-so-good ones, welcome! (See spoiler below ⤵️ "How To Play" for more details)

We're each on our own personal self-care journey, one that, if you're like me, varies - some days (weeks, months, years) are better than others. Wellness is a process - it's about progress, not perfection. It takes work. Much of that work falls on us individually, and our efforts towards self-care, as it should, but that effort is and can be helped, inspired, encouraged, and supported by others, be it friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, or the members of  this Community. Wellness takes work - let's do the work together, BIC!

How To Play:

Spoiler

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. Just remember, be safe and make adjustments, if and as applicable.

This game of wellness bingo is about YOU and YOUR WELLNESS. If you want to try for BINGO (5 squares in a row - across, down, diagonal), go for it. If you want to pick activities that are already part of your wellness activities or are ones you've been interested in trying, have at it. You can also choose to go about this by picking a row or column to focus each week, or for the entire month. Tailor your approach to meet your self-care needs and the time you have to give towards it in a particular day, week, or month. 

More information on "How To Play" can be found here ➡️ Ideas For How to Go About Wellness Bingo

Posting:

Spoiler

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 down for picking 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 thoughts on the activity. You can if you choose, attach a copy of the wellness bingo card with the applicable squares marked off. 

Looking forward towards working towards another month of wellness with you, BIC!

[itsfi]

Keep on sharing your July wellness activities here. 

August BWell bingo card is now up - Working Towards Wellness: August 2025 

[Mellmars1185]

Here we are at the end of July...how did that go by so quickly?

Work on Joy - This is an on going one for me. I have been trying to compromise less and do more for me. I want to find a hobby or an activity. Perhaps pilates? Stay tuned.

Summer Stroll - I have been getting these in a lot. When I work from home I go for a walk in the morning when it is nice and quiet and on my lunch. I have also been enjoying getting up early on the weekends to have a quiet walk.

Soak up the sun - This one was fun. I recently went to Niagara Falls for my sister's birthday. We went on the boat ride near the falls. We literally got soaked in the sun. I did wear my SPF 😊

Prioritize Sleep - I have been going to bed early instead of staying up late amd scrolling. I am finding I like to be a morning person and get in more natural day light.

Hydrate - I have been drinking much more water. I have recently cut out alcohol. I am only having it on special occasions. Instead, I have been having flavoured soda water. I feel so much better and will continue this. I also have electrolytes every morning. I find this step really helps.

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, nice work on the wellness activities. It'll be fun finding a hobby or new activity, or maybe digging deeper into something you already love doing. 

Yeah, can't believe we're at the end of another month. Good reminder and segue, August wellness bingo card will be up soon.

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Thank you! I am looking forward to seeing what is in store for August.

[curlychiquita]

I haven’t been able to keep track of my wellness particularly, but I did my usual routine.

• I go to the gym 2-3 times a week and do my stomach crunches, push ups, and the stationary bike. The bike isn’t my favorite but with my back pain it’s the only cardio I can really do.
• I get insomnia nightly. It’s been decades and I even had a sleep study once. But I just go to bed around 8 pm and assume I’ll wake up for a few hours in the night before I need to get up at 6:30 am.
• My husband and I take 2 mile walks on the nights we don’t go to the gym, except recently, because it’s been in the 90s.
• My younger son is home from his summer semester, and we’re going to fly out to see my older son in two weeks.
• My allergies are calming down so I feel much better daily.
• My favorite relaxing activity is still applying my skincare at night.

Thanks, @itsfi! ❤️

[PrettyPaint]

@curlychiquita I hope you have a wonderful visit with your sons! And I'm glad your allergies are doing better. That's incredible that you consistently get some much exercise in! 

[curlychiquita]

Thank you, @PrettyPaint! ❤️

[itsfi]

Oh @curlychiquita, you are an inspiration with your walk and gym workouts, and your skincare routine. 😍 Do you experience pain up and down your back or is it isolated to a particular region? That's good that the stationary bike is a form of cardio you can do. Walking is such a great exercise too, though definitely not in 90 degree weather - wow! I'm so sorry about your insomnia; my heart sank when I read that. The waking up every few hours until it's time to actually get it is just so draining - physically, mentally, etc. 

How happy are you that one of your sons is home?!! And that you'll all get to see your older one soon; that is such an exciting thing to look forward to. Will it be just as warm where you will be traveling?

Ahhh skincare routine. Love that it's a relaxing activity for you. You know, I don't think I've ever asked - do you have a lengthy & leisurely skincare routine? Do you have a favorite step - cleansing? serums? masks? All of it?!! Your skin looks lovely and I'm sure your consistency to looking after it is a huge factor. 

[curlychiquita]

Thank you, @itsfi! My older son is in California for the summer for an internship, so the weather is much nicer than Baltimore in the summer!  

My back pain is from inflammation around the joint in my hip. I’ve been to PT but it didn’t really help. The PT did help sciatica I had but not the inflammation.  I should go back to the doctor but I need to get a finger operated on for a minor issue in a few weeks and I can’t only go to so many doctors. 😆

My skincare routine isn’t that complicated. In the morning right now I’m trying Anua Niacinamide 10 TXA 4 Serum and then SK-II Ultimate Revival Cream 1.6 oz - I replaced the La Mer Crème de la Mer Moisturizer I finished with the SK-II.  Then at night I use my Skinmedica Advanced+ Serum, then my Retin A, and finally either my La Mer The Rejuvenating Night Cream or Alastin Brightening Serum (I find the Alastin drying and don’t plan to buy it again).  I actually wash my face with pink Dove soap - I just can’t find another cleanser I like and I’ve tried dozens.  But in summary, two products in the morning and three at night. But I find using them and knowing I’m taking care of my skin very relaxing.  Thank you for asking! 

[itsfi]

@curlychiquita, your skincare routine sounds amazing. I'd be interested in your thoughts on the Anua serum; I first used tranexamic acid when I was using sheet masks more often a couple of years ago and some serums, and it's nice to see it in more skincare that's available here. Ooouh, SK-II; they have some wonderful products in their collection. Interested too in hearing how your skin likes that one compared to Augustinus Bader and La Mer. That's fantastic you've found a cleanser that works well for your skin; that's key. 

[itsfi]

Checking in with wellness activities for the latter part of the month, marked with  pinky-red X on the wellness bingo card. 

Quiet Time - Meditate - Journal - Breathe: Starting a little a self-care project for myself - to try to journal every day, even if it's a short entry. 

Financial Wellness Revisited: The announcement that Sephoria was being postponed to early 2026 actually helped me move forward with this one. I'm continuing with my no spend / low buy but will try to tighten the reins just a little more in August. While no Sephoria this year means that the money I budgeted for it is now available, my plan is to move most of that to my budget for Sephoria 2026. Most of it. I'm going to allocate a small portion to my "Louis Vuitton Beaute fund". 😂 

Meaningful Compliment Received: ☑️

Engage in Creative Activities: Been having some fun working on next month's wellness bingo card. 🙌  And, since it's been an even cooler summer than usual, I've been working on being a smidge more creative when putting together some outfits, a la The Fit, The Fab and The Face: Outfit and Inspo Thread - getting slightly outside my comfort zone for fashion. 😉👗 

Free Space: Have been working on decluttering and reorganizing the cabinets in the kitchen. A trip to Goodwill is planned for tomorrow or the next day. Agree @ather that the small things can be impactful. 

Social Wellness: Checked in with a friend. It was good all around. ☕

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Great wellness practices. Decluttering feels so good but can be hard to do. I didn't know Sephoria has been postponed. Early 2026 sounds like a possibility for me.

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, yep, it was announced on IG and posted on the Expo Exposé: Beauty Convention Thread (specifically here - Re: Expo Exposé: Beauty Convention Threa... - Beauty Insider Community)

[Samtian]

@itsfi Ugh those kitchen cabinets! I need to do that too. Fantastic work!

[itsfi]

lol, it's so interesting all the things that you discover when clearing out the cabinets @Samtian. If I had a dollar for every "oh, that's where that went?" Or, "when did I get this?" Fortunately, there have not been many "what is this?" 🤣 It does feel good to clear things out and start over, so to speak. 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi Did I know about the LV Beaute line? I'm not sure!! I'm definitely going to have to investigate. I'm not sure if I'm happy or scared to know about it. I probably need to start saving as well. 

Great job on the creative activities! I love looking at your outfits in the Outfit Inspo thread! 🙂 

[itsfi]

Louis Vuitton is launching a makeup line @PrettyPaint. It's coming out this fall, I heard early fall - August or September. They named Pat McGrath as Cosmetics  Creative Director - more details here -->  Re: BEAUTY NEWS 2.0 - Page 3 - Beauty Insider Community

Ahhhh, thank you; that's really kind of you to say.  What timing - I just posted to the outfit inspo thread earlier this morning. Between that thread, the capsule thread and the pan it! challenge, I've been going through my clothes and makeup more and that's made decluttering  more practical and a lot more fun. It's also made purchases more fun when I make them. 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi Wow - that's pretty soon, in that case. That's exciting that Pat McGrath is the Creative Director! 

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, August 25 is the launch date. Have heard that only a few LV stores will carry the product(s)? 😐

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi Oh yikes. I didn't realize it would just be in LV stores. There are definitely none of those around me, so hopefully the collection will at least be available on their website.