Working Towards Wellness: September 2025

[itsfi]

Happy September, BIC! 🍃🍂🍁 Pumpkin spice season is underway and soon, the air will get a little crisper and the leaves will begin to change colors and fall. As the days get shorter and cooler, it's important to keep on top of our wellness routines, adjusting as necessary to meet the changes in the weather, our schedule, or life in general.

If this is your first visit to the monthly Working Towards Wellness thread or you've been here before, welcome; we're so happy you stopped on by. Please feel free to stay and check out the thread as oft as you'd like and join if you're interested. If you're back for another month of wellness bingo, welcome back! Looking forward to seeing what everyone, new and returning, has and will be doing this month as part of their wellness practice.

We're each on our own personal self-care journey. If you're like me, that journey varies - some days 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, and the members of this Community. Wellness takes work - let's do the work together, BIC!

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), 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.

• 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.

• Description of Activities. For more information or examples of the activities described in each square, check out ➡️ September BIC Wellness Activities

Posting: 

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.

Spoiler

@ather @blackkitty2014 @byme4u @caitbird @CorgiMommy @curlychiquita @danielledanielle @jaaayp  @Mellmars1185 @PDXXXX  @peculiarzmakeup @PrettyPaint @Samtian If I'm forgetting someone, I apologize. I'll try to tag more later. Feel free to tag others who you think may be interested. Thanks to folks who have inspired some of this month's new self-care activities by your suggestions and previous posts.

Also, for those who have been participating in these wellness bingo activities, consider posting your favorite or newly discovered self-care activities to the September is National Self-Care Awareness Month - Share your go-to self-care activities! thread as a way to give  folks, new and long standing to BIC, some real, practical ideas of how to look after our wellness. Having tools at our ready is a good thing when it comes to looking after our well being.

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi I think I would prefer an advent calendar with mostly new stuff. I recall liking the one from Olive Young that was offered last year (I think), but I wasn't able to get it quickly enough. I think you had to be in the top tier of their membership/awards program to get early access. I'm not sure what their tarrif situation is like at present, though. 

[itsfi]

Yeah, there are a few of the advent calendars that get snapped up in a heartbeat @PrettyPaint, including many of the Korean beauty ones. One year I actually was online when the ever popular YesStyle one was available and I just thought I'd get to it the next morning. Well, that didn't happen. 😅 And that was when the first way of Kbeauty was waning down too so I can only imagine how much more demand there is now, though tariff calculations may have an impact on that. I added some cushion to my budgeting for advent calendars (eek, I said calendars, lol) this year and am looking to figure out what I might want to do there and finalizing my Christmas list for other people before doing any more shopping for myself. 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi Ooooh - sounds like you're getting multiple! Seriously, though, they bring me so much joy that I think it's worth it! 🙂

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, I picked up multiples last year. I usually just get a couple for myself - one beauty related one and a food/drink related one - and chocolate ones as gifts for others. I splurged a last year with the one from Diptyque and am still enjoying it and a couple others even now. I won't pick up as many for myself this year, at least that is the plan. I do love how it's a little treat every day. 😍 Do you get multiple ones for yourself?

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi I can't even remember what I got last year besides the YesStyle box. I think I may have gotten some food-related ones, but I don't really count those...hehe. I think I got a Christmas tea one? I think I want at least one big beauty one this year. 

[itsfi]

That's fantastic that you were able to get a YesStyle advent calendar last year @PrettyPaint - they go quickly! I'm aiming for one big beauty advent calendar as well, big being either in terms of value, or content (24/25 days), ideally one that checks both of those boxes. 

[CorgiMommy]

Love your Aromatherapy idea @itsfi .

[itsfi]

@CorgiMommy, a different approach to aromatherapy, but it served its purpose nicely; thank you.

[Samtian]

@itsfi Haha love the date stories! I adore the color changing leaves idea! Can't wait to hear about that weird looking chocolate. 

[itsfi]

@Samtian, it was hilarious! So glad it was just myself I was standing up. I would have felt awful if I actually stood someone up like that, or in any way, actually. 😞 Though I suppose if he knew me, he'd know I wouldn't have meant to do it intentionally at all. But lesson learned. No lying down even for 5 minutes before heading out on a date, even with myself. 🙄😂

Oh, at the park, they have paddle boats you can rent. I thought of doing that but it occurred to me that I'd have to do it by myself to and from wherever it was I'd be going and noooo, that's a team sport. 

Dubai chocolate throwdown results

Spoiler

The Dubai chocolate from Dubai was the winner among the participants in the blind taste test. I agree with their findings.
Dubai chocolate from Jordan

Dubai chocolate from Dubai

I thought the bar from Jordan tasted like it was manufactured in a facility, which, of course, it was. The bar from Dubai had more of that melt in your mouth quality to it and a softer, more textured crunch. 

Tagging @caitbird @danielledanielle as they played a role in Dubai chocolates 🍫 even being part of my wellness practice this month (and I thank you for that 😉).

[danielledanielle]

Yes, OMITB!  @itsfi , I like to save it, but it's so good. 

Very smart to double up, makes me think of Habit Stacking Thread 📚 

Are we going to see Dubai Chocolate in the throwdowns? 😂😋

[itsfi]

I know! I should have tried harder to hold off on starting this season. I know better. It'll be harder now to wait each week for OMITB now @danielledanielle. Will have to do a better job of holding off on my other show when it starts next month. 

Yeah, I've doubled up for the Habit Stacking Thread 📚 before in previous seasons, possibly even the same things or similar to it. We'll see; first whether it's something I'll keep or want to keep with to turn into a habit. I have a different project I'm working on (well, today will be the kick off - I was too tired to start it off last night, ha!) that stacks a few wellness practices. 

lololol, ahhhh, a Dubai chocolates throwdown!! Oooouh. We just might. 🤔 Maybe it'll be a bonus battle when I roll out the next throwdown. Hmmmm, the wheels in the old noggin' are turning ... 

[CorgiMommy]

Started working on the wellness bingo card.  Without really trying I got a Bingo!

 Date yourself - went for a 90 minute deep tissue massage as I have been stepping up my exercise routine.

Take a walk outside - took a hike to one of my favorite alpine lakes this week

Seasonal fruits and veggies - my local farm stand has had the most outstanding watermelons and cantaloupe

Focus on exercise - have continued my resistance training and seeing some real progress.  I had to up my weights from 5 to 8 lbs. And saw the results in my training when I went biking and was able to conquer a hill I usually start but then have to walk up.

Break out the good stuff (I love this one) - champagne brunch at my house with  friends

Healthcare Maintenance  - got a flu shot

[Samtian]

@CorgiMommy Congrats! Sounds like an amazing start to the month for you!

[CorgiMommy]

Thank you so much @Samtian 

[danielledanielle]

I think we all know what this means...

We need to find an @CorgiMommy to date.  Massage and champagne 🥂??? Sign me up 😂

[CorgiMommy]

You are funny @danielledanielle 

[danielledanielle]

😊

[itsfi]

@CorgiMommy, congrats on conquering that hill; what an accomplishment! And, congrats on BINGO.

[CorgiMommy]

@itsfi thank you, I was stunned when I made it to the top

[caitbird]

@itsfi  thanks for the tag! 💜 Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been dealing with some personal stuff, and also my laptop died and I haven't been able to replace it yet, and posting on my phone can be a pain. I've missed my BIC friends! 🤗

I've managed to check off some activities on this month's wellness card, though no bingo yet. Here's what I've gotten to so far:

💜 Seasonal fruits and veggies: it has been a good year for zucchini here, so we have been eating lots of it, both from my mom's garden and my neighbors that I petsit for. Zucchini bread, zucchini muffins, zucchini pasta salad...yum!

💜Music: I have been listening to Rhiannon Giddens' album "Tomorrow Is My Turn" in the car on repeat. It's one of those rare albums where I actually really like every song. She is an amazing musician!

💜 Stay hydrated: I always bring one of my reusable water bottles with me everywhere. It really helps me keep my water intake where it needs to be every day.

💜 Free space: kitty cuddles! So important for my mental and emotional health. Frida is on top of me as I type this, lol 😸

💜 Self care bucket list: I love making these seasonal bucket lists, though actually checking off the items I come up with has historically been more hit or miss 😅 This time I tried to be more realistic and not add too many things to my list. I made a little poster of my list in Canva:

I've checked off a couple of things already!

💜 Aromatherapy: I have been enjoying both perfumes and scented candles a lot lately. My scent of the day today was The 7 Virtues Cherry Ambition Eau de Parfum with Marshmallow Travel Spray 0.34 oz / 10 ml eau de par...  and I have Voluspa Goji & Tarocco Orange candle lit this evening.

💜 New season, new things: I decided to try some of that viral "Dubai chocolate" I keep seeing everywhere. I got some on a recent trip to Homegoods. I normally roll my eyes at the latest viral this or that, but it was actually pretty good.

💜 Health care maintenance: I have been trying to be proactive lately about making phone calls to make appointments with doctors and my therapist, get my medications refilled, etc. I made a couple of healthcare-related phone calls this morning. I don't like doing it (the phone calls and paperwork side of it, not the results), but keeping up with my healthcare makes a huge difference in my daily quality of life. I just started seeing a new therapist since my longtime therapist recently retired, and she wants me to try a new treatment. One of the phone calls I made today was to schedule an evaluation for that. Hopefully it will end up helping.

💜 Have a seasonal drink: I have been in the mood for fall lately, so I got in the spirit of things by having a PSL at Dunkin. I don't drink coffee that often, but it was a fun little treat.

Here's a little collage I did of some of this month's wellness activities:

Hope everyone is doing well! 💜