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 Thanks for the tag!! I love the "date yourself" idea! 🙂 By the way, have the boards been completely down? I received a notification yesterday from your tag, but I absolutely have not been able to access the site until today. All of the text and images were jumbled, so I was trying to figure out how you managed to post this month's "working towards wellness!"

[itsfi]

I think the boards decided to take Labor Day off @PrettyPaint 😆 -  it started around 8 or 9 am Pacific Time, maybe? I put up the original post and was going to take a break before finishing up with and posting the description of the activities when I noticed it glitching a lot more and for a longer period of time. So I hurried to get up those descriptions and just hoped that it went through. I was able to get online for literally a quick minute in the early afternoon but then not again until later in the evening. I think I was able to upload the posts just before it went completely crazy. Yes - jumbled texts and images is a great way to describe it. 

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi Good to know! Thanks. I was worried it was something strange happening on my end. I was so impressed that you were able to post, but it sounds like you got in at the perfect time. 🙂

[itsfi]

Yeah @PrettyPaint, I lucked out. I was kicking myself for a bit - I was up pretty late and had thought about posting it before heading to bed, before the glitch. It all worked out though.

[itsfi]

Hello, BIC wellness warriors!! A brief description of each activity described in 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 / example of how you might go about the activity described. There may be other ways to go about doing them. 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: 

Stretch (30 minutes): Go for a full body stretch or focus on one or more body parts. Aim for 30 minutes or more.

• If you sit in front of a computer all day, consider spending a good chunk of this time for stretching focused 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, hips 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).

• If 30 minutes seems like it's too much, maybe 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).

Seasonal fruits & veggies: Get in your fruits and veggies. Summer & fall offer a plethora of delicious fruits and vegetables. Grill 'em. Add 'em to your oatmeal, salad, 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 accessible near you, or if that's not your thing, have a helping of fruits and veggies, seasonal or otherwise.

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.

• 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.

Music - Listen to it, sing, and/or dance: Music can be an outlet for expressing emotion and well-being. It can help with healing, reduce stress, provide comfort. Find a song that speaks to whatever space you in, turn up the music. Sing, dance, or just sit in silence listening to its lyrics and/or rhythm. Feel free to share what tunes have been on your playlist, in your check-in or on the 🎶✨Song of the Day and Music Thread!✨🎶.

Date Yourself: I have had multiple people (single, married, divorced, etc.) who I respect greatly on different occasions suggest "dating yourself" as a form of self-care, in general conversation about taking care of one's self as well as in connection with wellness bingo, here and IRL. So, I dug a little deeper into this, and I'm game! I hope you are too, or are willing to give it a go. 

There are several ways to go about dating - there's the low-key, casual, easy coffee date approach. There's the fancy schmancy wine-and-dine date night. Dinner and a movie at home, going to a comedy club, on a hike, or having a picnic in the park. And, anything and everything in between. A couple of articles that might be of interest include:

• "31 Ideas for How To Date Yourself—And Why Therapists Say You Definitely Should" from well + good - site is wellandgood(dot)com [NOTE: replace the "(dot)" with "." ]

• "How to Date Yourself (And Why You Should)" from Verywell Mind - verywellmind(dot)com

I completely get that not everyone may be into research as I am, so I'll list half a dozen or so solo date ideas that you may want to consider (gathered from those articles, other articles and from thoughts that came to my mind):

• Going to the movie theater - splurge on yourself with popcorn and a drink 
• Visit a museum or art exhibit
• Dress up and enjoy a meal at your favorite restaurant (or one you've been wanting to try)
• Taking a class - pottery, cooking, painting, etc.
• Going to the ballet, musical, opera
• Touring your own city - on a self guided tour or taking one of those walking tours
• Visit zoo, aquarium, local gardens
• Go to brunch
• Try out a new coffee/tea shop

SECOND ROW:

Stay hydrated: 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, consider drinking some electrolyte water as well. 

Work on Joy: Working on joy is a form of self-care and a way to look after and increase our well-being. There are many approaches to cultivate joy - some focus on managing stress and negative feelings; others look to deliberately seek out positive experiences to nurture the spirit. Like self-care, there's no one size fits all approach and what works for one person may not work for another. In fact, I imagine the most successful efforts to cultivate joy depend on facts and circumstances and include their fair share of ups and downs along the way. In thinking through the topic for this month's wellness activity, I came upon a worthwhile article on the , "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 Down

6.    Celebrate Small Wings

7.    Choose to See the Good in Others

8.    Create Quiet Moments

9.    Make Time for Life-Giving Activities

10.   Accept the Present

The "Work on Joy" square has been a part of wellness bingo boards for previous months, with each month using a different article as an example of how to go about this activity. For additional ideas on how to approach this square, please feel free to check out the description for this activity in those past threads (usually found on the last or second to last page of each thread) - Working Towards Wellness: July 2025 Working Towards Wellness: August 2025 

Quiet Time - Meditate - Journal - Breathe: Spend some time in quietness, whether it be practicing being still, or meditation. Or, carving out some time in your day to journal (digitally or with pen-and-paper). Or, take time to focus on your breathing. There are a host of breathing exercises and techniques.  While doing some research for this month's wellness activity, I found an article 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.

Break out the "good stuff": Now is the time to use the good china, the fancy lipstick, the expensive bottle of wine, etc. Because you're worth it. Because it's a day that ends in 'y'. Because, seriously, how great will that PB&J or that ooey gooey mound of mac and cheese look on that Wedgewood plate from your wedding registry? There are times when we save things to be used at a later date. And there are times when that later date is now. 

Create: Arts - Crafts - Hobbies: 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.

THIRD ROW:

Focus on eating well: 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.

Focus on exercise (30 minutes): Move that body. This is about you, so be sure to adjust according to your body's needs and condition.  If you're taking a class, please let the instructor know of any issues you have or may be experiencing with your body (muscles, joints, etc.) in order to learn the necessary adjustments you should make. If 30 minutes isn't your number, go with what is a good amount of time for you to exercise given where you are on your physical wellness journey, do what is right for you. As always, check in with your physician or health care provider, if and as necessary.

Free space: Do something wellness related or nothing at all (which can also be a form of self-care), this square is a freebie.

Focus on going to bed on time: Quality sleep - a well-rested brain and body - can play a crucial role in our wellness, our wellbeing. It can be hard to make time for it with all the things we have on our plates, but every effort counts. Adults generally need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night - aim for that; adjust as needed.

Treat yourself after you complete all 3 "focus" activities: Treating yourself doesn't have to mean buying something. It can, but that's not the only way to treat yourself. Maybe it's an extra 10 minutes in the shower. Or, sleeping in. Or, going for a walk. Reading a book. Having a piece of chocolate. Once you've completed all 3 focus activities (and they don't have to be completed on consecutive days or even in the same week), treat yourself. 

FOURTH ROW:

Take a walk outside (Remember SPF + H2O): Take a leisure walk outside (weather permitting). Remember to apply (and reapply, as necessary) sunscreen and stay hydrated.

Practice 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 (more mindful) of the people, events and things in your life this week that you are thankful for
• 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

Self-Care Bucket List: September is self-care month and also the start of fall. With the new season and it being self-care month, let's take some time to think the self-care activity or activities you want to work on from now until the end of the year. It can be one thing you want to work on or you have a host of activities you want to strive to do before year end. Make yourself a list of one or more activities so you can work on checking it/them off when you accomplish it/them (because you can do it!) Examples include (but are not limited to): 

• working up to __ minutes of exercise (or doing a certain exercise)
• taking a vacation
• going to the new restaurant/bar/museum, etc.
• taking a new class / joining a new-to-you post on BIC / learning about something new to you
• learning a new skill / learning a subcategory within a skill you already possess
• spending quality time with loved one(s)
• clearing out the hallway closet / guest bedroom / garage
• eating healthy a certain number of times per week
• spending less on a particular category each month (or spending less in general)
• reading all the books in a particular series
• journaling for 30 consecutive days

Write down 3 things you appreciate about yourself: This can be about a feat or milestone. It can be about something you did that day or week. Or a character or personality trait you possess. It could be about a skill you have. It could be a compliment or praise you received that you take pride in.

Aroma-therapy: 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. Use aromatherapy for your own self-care.

FIFTH ROW:

New Season, New Things to See, Do, Learn, Explore:  Kids should all be back in school soon enough and fall will be here before we know it. Ushering a new season can mean change, new beginnings, something new, fresh in our lives - new growth, healing, a new path, a fresh start. It's an opportunity to explore new things, whether it's fall focused (e.g., trying a new recipe for a fall dish or baked treat) or something you've been meaning to try (e.g., apple picking, going to a corn maze, making candles, attending a fall festival, etc.). So use this new season to explore something new to you*, whether it's learning about a new topic or doing something new! 

* This can be anything new to you, it doesn't have to have a tie-in to the fall equinox. It can even be something new within an area or skillset that is familiar to you - 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. It can be daunting to step outside our comfort zones, but it can be fun and rewarding to. Whether it's shifting your focus into a different area within your expertise or trying something completely new to you, here's to challenging yourself a little and seeing where it takes you. 

Check in with a friend: This can be about you, about them, about both of you. It can be about sharing something on your heart/mind; asking for help. It can be checking in to see how your friend is doing. It can be about just socializing and hanging out, having fun.

Read; Audiobook; Podcast; Blog; TV/Movie: Read a book, a blog; listen to an audiobook or podcast; watch a TV show or movie. For leisure.

Health Care Maintenance: A few things came to mind when thinking about this square including:

• cold & flu season is or will soon be upon us. If vaccinations are needed, now might be a good time to call to schedule an appointment for later in the month or next month?
• maybe other health care appointments need to be made - eye? dental? annual check-up? ob/gyn?  dermatologist? therapist? etc.
• we sometimes begin to see seasonal affective disorder playing out in the fall with the change in the season. It may be worth keeping an eye on it in yourself, in others, and to the extent appropriate and applicable, to get any assistance or help to manage it
• muscle aches and pains may benefit from massage, physical therapy, Epsom salt soaks, acupuncture, Chiropractics, etc.

Have a seasonal drink: Make one or buy one, up to you. With or without alcohol. Be safe if your drink involves alcohol. Think about sharing a photo of your seasonal drink on the What’s in your cup? thread.

Here's to another month of working towards wellness, BIC!

[Zarbelle]

Happy September! May this month bring you warmth, comfort, and inspiration—along with the scent of pumpkin spice and the rustle of the first fallen leaves. Fall is a wonderful time to recharge and take care of yourself, especially as the days grow shorter and the air grows crisper. If you’re looking for a bit of entertainment during those cozy evenings indoors, Loco Joker Casino offers plenty of games and bonuses to keep things exciting. For exclusive bonuses and a wide range of games, simply log on to https://locojoker-casino.com/ and start exploring. It’s a fun way to relax while still embracing the slower pace that autumn naturally brings.