Summer Wellness Challenge
#FeelWellDoWell
By SUSTAIN & The Power Thread
Graphic by @yuweipanpan
As the clock struck midnight last December, people around the globe had no idea what the new year would bring. 2020 shifted the world as we knew it, and navigating wellness has never been more important. This goes for personal wellness and the collective wellbeing of people and the planet.
The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as "a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential." While wellness is definitely an evolving, lifelong process, we at SUSTAIN believe wellness should not only center on individual growth, but on collective growth and healing as well. We all have the power within us to be well. Our personal wellness should be used to uplift and inspire others.
That’s why SUSTAIN has partnered with The Power Thread, a platform dedicated to celebrating women and inspiring them to be their most powerful self, to offer up some wellness wisdom this summer! For the month of August, we invite our communities to join us in the #FeelWellDoWell summer wellness challenge. Each week will have multiple challenges that follow one of four themes: body, mind, home and heart.
Let’s get ready to #FeelWellDoWell! Be sure to tag us on your IG story or post with this hashtag so we can repost.
Graphic by @yuweipanpan
WEEK ONE: BODY
Monday, Aug 3: Get your body moving with a new 30 minute workout.
Here are some free virtual workouts to check out:
Wednesday, Aug 5: Cook a meal that makes your body feel good.
Try these recipes: Vegan and Vegetarian Meal and Tips For Beginners and Best Fruit and Vegetable Juices.
Friday, Aug 7: Take a selfie in a power outfit that makes you feel your best.
Check out The Consistency Project, The Nifty Thrifter and Aarica Nichole Vintage for some major fit inspo.
WEEK TWO: MIND
Monday, Aug 10: Clear your mind with a 10 minute meditation.
Here are some tips to try out:
Make sure you’re somewhere you won’t be disturbed. A quiet space is necessary!
Get into a position you’ll be comfortable in for 10 minutes. Fidgeting around will only be distracting.
Remember there’s no pressure. No one “gets it” immediately; mediation is a learned practice and requires patience and time.
A good way to ease into meditation if it’s not something you’re used to is by doing some breathwork first!
Wednesday, Aug 12: Challenge your mind with a brain puzzle.
Listen to TriviaTime - a podcast with weekly trivia games.
Download an app to train your brain like Lumosity or Cognitfit Brain Fitness.
Friday, Aug 14: Rest your mind and unplug for 30 min.
It’s always good to unplug in order to ensure that you're making time for yourself. Get to know you, and take this time to allow your thoughts to be at rest. It’s common in the digital age to allow your mind to experience near consistent turmoil with the abundance of content that it’s taking in almost every hour of the day–but it’s important to remember to step away from that, and allow your mind some time to process and grapple with the emotions and experiences of the day.
WEEK THREE: HOME
Monday, Aug 17: Declutter your home and take a picture.
Decluttering your space offers up a plethora of benefits for wellness. Some of these include: decreased stress/anxiety, improvement of sleep, a boost in energy and creativity, easier cleaning afterwards and saving of time and money in the long run as you find old treasures tucked within your home. Try it for yourself and let us know how you feel after! Turn on some Marie Kondo or Queer Eye in the background for some added feels and inspiration.
Wednesday, Aug 19: Check on your plants or adopt one.
The Sill, Horti, Desk Plants, and Botany are great places to look for new plant babies and are also informative resources for plant care.
Friday, Aug 21: Track your water usage for today.
The average person uses 80-100 gallons of water per day for indoor household use. As of 2019, one in three people globally do not have access to safe drinking water. Try using watercalculator.org to calculate your average water usage and try to identify ways you can reduce this usage.
WEEK FOUR: HEART
Monday, Aug 24: Write a love note to yourself.
Love is the most powerful force in the world, and loving yourself sets the foundation for the love you give and receive from others. Writing a love note to yourself may feel strange, but it’s nice to keep as a visual reminder on the bad days (and there will still be bad days, but practicing self love helps us get through them). We need to break the stigma that self love is selfish- when we know how to truly love and accept ourselves, it only strengthens how we love and accept others.
Wednesday, Aug 26: Do something you loved as a child.
Here’s some activities we used to enjoy:
Draw in a coloring book
Build a fort
Grab a treat from the ice cream truck
Finger Paint
Quick game of tag
Play dress up
Friday, Aug 28: Write down three things you are grateful for today.
It’s easy to get down on what is lacking from our lives, so we often forget how much we already have. There is immense power in thanking the universe each day. Start practicing gratitude every day and watch your life change!
Sunday, Aug 30: Celebrate yourself with a dance party to your favorite song.
If you did one of the challenges, a couple, or all of them, we are proud of you. Thank you for joining us for an entire month dedicated to #FeelWellDoWell. Now it’s time to celebrate your growth and progress with a dance party! Turn up the tunes and let loose- by yourself or virtually with friends/family. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that there is great strength and potential when communities come together for the greater good, but there is also still much work to do.
We hope this summer wellness challenge inspires you to keep feeling well and doing well throughout the rest of the year and stays with you into the new year!
Graphics by @yuweipanpan