b’vive.

A Guide to Reflecting on Your Wellness for the Year

Have you heard of the game High, Low, What Do You Know?

When we’re in a lull at the dinner table, I try to get my family to play. Each person takes a turn sharing a tidbit about their day:

• What was the high for the day?
• What was the low?
• One thing you learned? 

And, my addition:

• Best thing you ate?

It’s really sad when the answer to “Best thing you ate?” is “Not this dinner.”

But, that’s for another time.

I love this game because of course I love remembering and talking about the good parts of the day. But the topics that come up can help to create connection and find meaning where you didn’t realize there was.

The same can be true for a personal reflection, especially on our own health and wellness.

I would definitely encourage you to spend some time reflecting on your personal wellness for the year and see what comes up for you. I’ll share some ways to do this, but since you’re here. I’ll share a few of my highs for the year:

Putting b’vive out into the world. This idea has been a little fire in my heart for so long. And I don’t know about you, but for me, sharing what’s in my heart is very scary.

It started by just telling a few people (scary) and just taking the bits of encouragement to fuel me to the next step. It meant accepting that some things weren’t exactly as I imagined they would be. It meant accepting where I am. It meant making a lot of little (but still scary) decisions along the way. And each one a little bigger and little more exciting than the last.

And yes, I hope you see some parallels to whatever goals you’re working towards in that little rant.

Running a marathon relay. I kept hearing people talk about running a marathon and how it was an amazing experience. I’ve gone to marathons and cheered people on. Oh the excitement of it all. I wanted that, too. But after a few years of thinking about it and talking about it, I had to get honest with myself and realize that I do not have a marathon in my heart. And it’s okay, it doesn’t make me less of a person. Just less of a runner (hahaha, and we’re laughing).

What is really important to me is enjoying the activity and the community experience. Hence, why I love group workouts like OrangeTheory Fitness and yoga. And why when my friend Lisa suggested we run a marathon relay it felt so right to me.

And wow was it!

Running that race with my friends was A MOMENT IN TIME.

Is that a Whitney Houston quote? Yes.

Was she on my running playlist? Also, yes.

Was I Wanna Dance one of my favorite things to watch this year? Also, yes.

Thank you for asking, now for my third “high” of the year.

Sampling goodies. Food is love (you may have heard me mention this before).

Bringing in samples of freshly made goodies to my friends at OrangeTheory was like handing out a big hug and getting it back 100 times over. I could not believe the support and encouragement.

I still can’t quite put it into words. I thought my heart was going to burst and thinking about it now I still feel the same way.

That’s my “I’m so happy I could burst” face.

Now it’s time to take a few minutes to celebrate you.

As we approach the final few days of the year, I encourage you to think about your highs and lows of the year.

What you’ve tried, accomplished, created, survived, manifested, realized, endured, experienced this year.

Here’s how to do it.

Think about mind, body and joy:

Mind

• Did you learn a new skill?
• Were you fascinated by a new topic?

Body

• Did you work toward something (like trying a new workout, lifting heavier weights, being more consistent, feeling stronger)?
• Did you achieve a new goal (like running a race, setting a new personal record, fitting into those pants)?

Joy

• Did you experience something you had hoped for?
• Did you find something unexpected?

Check the archives.

If you’re having trouble remembering 12 months worth of hopes and wins and challenges and special moments, there are some tools you can use.

• Go through the photos on your phone.
• Scroll through your social media posts.
• Look through your calendar.
• If you keep a journal, read through it.

Take notes.

As you come across these memories take note of:

• What felt nourishing?
• What sparks joy in the remembering?
• What felt draining? (I don’t like focusing on the low parts, but sadly many of the life lessons are in the lows.)
• What was the best thing you ate? (Seriously, I’m going to ask about this later!)

**

Three steps to your year-end wellness reflection:

1. Think about mind, body, joy.
2. Go through the archives.
3. Take notes.

I hope that as you go through this exercise you have more highs than lows. And that the lows ultimately lead to something better on the other side.

Hang on to your notes. If you come back next week, we’re going to use them.

In closing, I just want to say. Thank you for being here.

Cheers to you, you lovely human. And cheers to living well.

Need help with a customized wellness plan for the holidays? Check out my Personalized Health Coaching options.

Margaret Faintich is on a mission to help us all live in a world where taking care of our health and wellness is the norm. Where we can eat nutritious and delicious food every day because they are the same and that’s just how we live. 

She shares inspiration and guidance through the lens of mind, body and spirit.

Margaret Faintich is the founder of B’Vive Co. and a Nutritious Life Master Certified Nutrition and Wellness Coach. 

She is a yoga lover and OrangeTheory Fitness enthusiast.