Wellness Weekend 09.2020 & Balance

Wellness pals, here we are at the third Sunday of the month so it’s time for Wellness Weekend 09.2020.  Sharing an update on my wellness goals and talking about our optional theme, balance.  I am in constant pursuit of balance in my life.  But most days, I find it eluding me.  I spend too much time on the computer and other things don’t get done.  Or too much time working around the house and don’t find time to play.  Hope you will link up your wellness update and thoughts on balance so maybe I can discover a trick that will speak balance into my life.

In the last few months,  there’s been little progress made toward my wellness goals.  If you missed my post for August, click here to read it.  There won’t be much progress to share this month either.  But I think we might be turning a corner!!  Silly me, I am still committing to all 5s by the year’s end.

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WELLNESS WEEKEND 09.2020 GOALS UPDATE

Life in El Paso continues to slowly return to normal.  Our new Covid cases are under a hundred each day, and our deaths have slowed down.  Hallelujah.  Now to translate that to an improvement toward my overall wellness!!

PHYSICAL HEALTH –  3.5  (Up .5 points)

• Stretch and work out 4x a week , Weight Watchers to maintain weight – Have begun tracking my Weight Watchers points again!!  Not every day but just glad to be moving in the right direction.  And I have been running.  Surprised myself by running (read jogging) in the desert for 2 miles last week.  Ran out to this dilapidated water tower and back.  Now to make that the routine.

• Get 7200 steps and 3 floors a day – getting in my steps a little better because I am…running.  Last week I was over 10k steps almost every day.  The floors are still a struggle because it seems I have to scale a small mountain to get credit for even one floor.
• Walk in nature for 30 minutes a day, 5x a week – finally, finally we have had a week where temps were in the triple digits only one day.  That is translating into more enjoyable bedtime walks.

NUTRITIONAL HEALTH – 5.0  (Up .5 points)

You know what, I am going to go ahead and give myself a 5 in this category.  Sound the trumpets!! 🎺🎺 First 5 of year.  But I deserve it.  I have cooked my little head off, we are drinking our fruits and veggies EVERY day, and despite my inclination to want to booze my way through Covid, I haven’t.

• Cook meals at home 4x a week –   this continues to be the activity at which I am best succeeding!!  We have had a couple more Hello Fresh meals, and PC has reinstituted ‘soup diet’ as we begin to work on losing weight ’round here.  Two of this week’s dinners included maple bourbon chili and Italian wedding soup.  With a happy return to fall-like temps, these dishes hit the spot.
• Eat 1 fruit and 1 veggie every day (sad, I know) – still on the morning smoothie kick.  While I was visiting mom’s the end of August, PC made up fresh bags of fruit and froze them.  Our blender has leaked so badly.  Leaking so much that I might as well pour the whole drink onto the counter then slosh it into our glasses every day.  Only so much of that I could take.  So we finally bit the bullet and bought this professional blender.  I’m tellin’ ya, it better not leak a drop.

• Indulge in alcohol and sweets on weekends – we have had a couple of Bud Lights in the pool.  The new orange infused Bud Light and the Michelob Ultra pomegranate infusion are both very refreshing.  And we have enjoyed a glass of wine when we have prepared each of our Hello Fresh meals together.  Made a strawberry cheesecake last weekend but sent half home with the kids.  I think we are doing pretty well in this department, too.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH – 3.5  (Down .5 points)

I have really struggled in this area since last month.  After recently visiting the blogs of some of my favorite bloggers, I’ve come to realize I am not alone.  Many of my virtual friends are wondering when things are going to feel better in our lives, communities, our country and our world.  Deducting a half point because I just have not been faithful to this category.

• Develop a morning routine M-F – I say it every month but my mornings never look the same from one day to the next, despite all my efforts.  For some additional direction, worked my way through Make Over Your Mornings but didn’t find any earth-shattering new-to-me ideas for making over my mornings.  I think this course is better suited to women with young children.  Since I had already paid for it, I am working through Make Over Your Evenings.  Trying to get back to my paper to-do list making.
• Enjoy quiet time M-F (devotional, writing, reading, moment of silence and prayer) – have been struggling to find a Bible study.  My former sister-in-law and forever friend Metra invited folks to join her for “The Answers To Your Deepest Longings: 40 Days Through the Bible” hosted by the folks at Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies and Lysa Terkeurst.  I signed up for it.  But at the same time, I came across a Bible study called “The Good Life” led by Dr. Derwin Gray and Lifeway.com.  And I signed up for it, too.  Now all of a sudden I am up to my ears in Bible studies.  Will see if I can balance – hey, there’s that word – both of them at the same time.

• Use aroma therapy during my morning routine – my quiet times have been all over the place.  Morning, mid-day, catch as catch can.  To be honest, I had forgotten all about this goal.  Did order this essential oil diffuser for my granddaughter and a bottle each of peppermint and cinnamon.  Can I count that?  Have always heard those fragrances are helpful for enhancing focus.  Maybe I’ve been using the wrong oils in my diffuser!!  If I switch to using peppermint, will I be able to focus on my morning routine??

MENTAL HEALTH – 4.0 (Up .5 points)

Haven’t been getting dressed in ‘street’ clothes everyday.  But doing better than I was when this virus first struck.  And have finished up a few projects and lots of books.  Yay ME!!  Giving myself a half point raise for this category.

• Get dressed every day (not active wear), wear a dress or skirt to church – for months I have been wondering if we would ever return to church.  Guess what?  We did.  And I got dressed up for it.  Wore my Easter dress.  Better late than never I like to say.

• Weekly artistic activity; word games, journal – have done a little better in this category.  Lauren and I finished our cactus mosaics.  Brennyn and Cady have been using Duolingo so I logged back on and have started using it again.  Finished my summer banner for the pool area but will wait to hang it next year.  Scrapbooked with my sister in Kentucky.

• Read 3 books a month in order to meet my Goodreads goal  (are we friends on Goodreads yet?) – our public library has opened up for pick up!!  And I picked up the audio and print versions of An American Marriage by Tayari Jones.  Have yet to start reading it, though.  Finished Pearls of Wisdom by Barbara Bush,  The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett and Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes.  Really enjoyed Giver of Stars. Currently reading For the Love:  Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standard by Jen Hatmaker, which makes me giggle every night before bed.  And it’s less than $3.00 on Amazon right now.
  My book club is reading Big Lies in a Small Townby Diane Chamberlain.  Wish this book had pictures!!  The 2 main characters are working on painting and restoring a mural.  I would LOVE to see that mural.  P.S. If you are looking for a great online book club, holler!  I’ve got just the one for you.

   

RELATIONSHIP HEALTH – 4.0  (Up .5 points)

Since our world is reopening more each weekend, we have delighted in several date nights this month.  Walking in the evenings some and enjoying a little me time most days.

• Unplug at 8:30 pm, implement evening routine – haven’t been too keen on Facebook or Instagram lately.  And have struggled to get my blog reading done since every day looks different from the day before.  But most nights we are up to bed shortly after 9:00 pm and have squeezed in a walk after dinner.  So I am not spending all evening online.
• Date night with PC 2x a month  (bucket list activities) – yes, we have finally had a couple of real date nights.  A couple more masked trips to the outlet mall, a real movie night at the theater, and mom and pop Mexican food at Casita Linda’s.  Be sure to pop back by tomorrow for the reveal of my autumn 2020 bucket list.

• Me time, develop friendships, take a class or do something for myself – scrapbooked with my sister while we were in Kentucky visiting mom and we had a pedi together, purchased a Kesyi active skort in hopes of returning to pickleball before long.  It might be good to run in, too.  Also, visited with a baseball wife, Marg, today at the guys’ game.  It was nice to chat with someone other than family.

 

PREVENTATIVE HEALTH MAINTENANCE – 2.5 (HOLDING STEADY)

• Improved skin care, routine facials – using sunscreen, my RoC Retinol Correxion night cream, using an activated charcoal soap on my face at night but no facials.
• Weekly dry brushing – nope…even though the brush is hanging there by the shower door, I keep forgetting to do this.
• Regular manicures – haven’t had a professional mani is months and months.  But I am finally giving myself a mani once a week on Mondays.  And my Color Street nail polish strips have arrived.  Watched a video about applying them and appreciated the application tips in this post by Laura at I Do deClaire.  Now need to get very brave and try them.

FINANCIAL HEALTH – 3.0 (HOLDING STEADY)

• Continue saving each month –still making itty bitty deposits in my money market account, I’ve been playing the stock market using Robinhood.  It’s been fun and now I have PC doing it, too.  But I buy penny stocks while he runs with the big dogs.
• Save for birthdays and Christmas – my daughters said ‘no presents’ for birthdays this year so I am putting that money toward a big family trip to Disney World.  In 2021.  I hope.
• Keep spending under control –  had been behaving pretty well.  That is until the fall clothes started showing up in stores.  I signed up with Alison for the fall capsule wardrobe and may register for the fall work wear capsule wardrobe.  Even though I don’t ‘work’ – ha!!  Love the pieces and colors trending for this season.

I am feeling better and doing better toward these goals.  Most days.  But then a bad day will sneak up on me and throw me for a loop.  When those days do pop up, I am finding it is better I don’t push myself.  Better that I allow myself a lazy day to read, nap, take the night off from cooking.  The next day I am usually over the hump again.

Before I bid you adios, let’s take a quick look at our optional prompt for the month…

Balance

It seems I relate everything lately to Covid.  Last month’s Wellness Weekend optional prompt was flexibility. I applied the prompt to life during Covid.  We have all had to learn to be more flexible during this pandemic. The month before, our theme was having fun.  Covid has changed the way we have fun.  I talked about renting movies, sitting on the patio, playing catch.

The theme for Wellness Weekend 09.2020 is balance.  And I’ve got nothing!!  In fact, I feel very off balance many days.  Decided to do a little research for current articles that relate to our need for balance right now.  Came across this Balanced Life Quiz.  My results were no real surprise to me.

• Finances are at Level 6 out of 10
• Family Relationships are at Level 8 out of 10
• Mental Health is at Level  4 out of 10
• Friendships are at Level 1 out of 10
• Home is at Level 8 out of 10
• Spirituality is at Level 5 out of 10
• Career and Education is at Level 4 out of 10
• Health is at Level 5 out of 10

The areas where I need more focus to create a better balance life are pretty easy to identify by looking at the progress (or lack of) on my wellness goals.  Family and home require and receive most of my energies.  Friendships and mental health are my low spots.  And work, but I am not really working.

Balance Life Circle

From the quiz, I was directed to this page where I can learn about creating a balance life circle as a visual to the areas of life where I need better balance.  And how to set up a self reflection day that will help me create better balance in the areas where I am struggling.

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Going to fill this in and keep it on the frig where I can be more mindful of trying to balance the areas where I am off kilter.

YOUR TURN

How have you progressed on your wellness goals for the year?  In what ways are you struggling to balance life?  Or are you?  If you’ve fallen off a little on your wellness goals lately like I have, take comfort!!  We still have more than 3 months ahead in which to reach perfect scores each of our goals.

Please use the link up to share your wellness related post.  Or let me know in a comment below how you are feeling about life this month.

Thank you for encouraging me on my wellness journey.  Please keep in mind our upcoming themes for the remainder of the year.  And come back on the 3rd Sunday of October to check in again with us.

• October 18: Walking
• November 15: Peace
• December 20: Wrap-up

Enjoy a peaceful week.

Hugs and kisses,