Winter Wellness Challenge
This Winter Wellness Challenge is designed for adults who want to cultivate healthy habits and foster a sense of well-being during the cold winter months. The challenge encourages participants to track and engage in wellness-focused activities each day, using a downloadable habit tracker/bingo card to stay accountable.
Each week, participants will focus on one of five wellness areas: Movement & Stretching, Mindfulness & Stress Relief, Social Communication, Healthy Habits & Nutrition, and Gratitude & Positive Thinking. The goal is to support overall health and wellness, both mentally and physically, through easy-to-implement daily actions. This challenge can also help participants maintain motivation and balance throughout the winter season. Download this habit tracker in our app!
Instructions:
Step 1: Introduction to the Winter Wellness Challenge
How to Use the Habit Tracker:
Movement & Stretching: Activities that promote physical movement, stretching, and exercise to keep the body active and energized.
Mindfulness & Stress Relief: Activities that focus on mental well-being, including mindfulness, stress reduction, or relaxation techniques.
Social Communication: Engage in positive interactions with others, either in person, over the phone, or online. Social connection is key to mental wellness.
Healthy Habits & Nutrition: Practices related to nutrition, hydration, sleep hygiene, and other self-care habits.
Gratitude & Positive Thinking: Building a mindset of gratitude and focusing on positive thoughts can improve emotional health.
Step 2: Goal Setting and Preparation
Encourage yourself or the participant to set personal goals for each wellness category. These goals should be achievable and realistic. For example:
Movement & Stretching: “I will walk for 20 minutes.”
Mindfulness & Stress Relief: “I will do a 5-minute breathing exercise.”
Social Communication: “I will send a message or make a call to a friend or family member.”
Healthy Habits & Nutrition: “I will drink 8 glasses of water.”
Gratitude & Positive Thinking: “I will write down three things I’m grateful for.”
Customize the Challenge: Personalize the tracker and activities. For example, instead of just "stretching," you can choose specific stretches that feel good to you. Or you might prefer journaling or using an app for mindfulness practice.
Step 3: Daily Engagement (Track the Habit)
Complete Daily Activities: Each day, the participant will choose one wellness category to focus on and complete the corresponding activity. Here’s how they can complete the tracker:
After completing the activity for the category for that day, mark off a box on that row in the tracker.
Step 4: Review Progress
Weekly Reflection: At the end of each week, take time to reflect on progress. Discuss what was accomplished, how the activities made them feel, and any challenges or successes. This review can be done with a coach, friend, family member, therapist, or wellness buddy for additional support.
Guiding questions: "How did focusing on gratitude help your mood?" "Did you find that stretching helped relieve stress?"
Celebrate small wins. If you have checked off most or all of their boxes, praise yourself and maybe a give yourself a self-care reward (e.g., taking a relaxing bath, enjoying a favorite treat, or a quiet time for relaxation).
Step 5: Ongoing Engagement and Support
Habit Tracking: Encourage participants to continue tracking their wellness activities daily, adjusting goals as needed.
Adjustments: If someone misses a day or two, they should be encouraged to not feel discouraged. Instead, focus on getting back on track the next day.
Long-Term Goal Setting: Over time, the habit tracker can evolve into a longer-term plan for maintaining wellness habits, even beyond the winter months.
Additional Ideas:
Winter Wellness Journal: Create a companion journal where you can expand on your thoughts and reflections about each wellness activity. This encourages deeper self-reflection and emotional processing.
Wellness Group Challenge: Pair up with a friend or family member to do the Winter Wellness Challenge together, creating a sense of accountability and social support.
This Winter Wellness Challenge Habit Tracker activity promotes a holistic approach to well-being, supporting the mental, emotional, and physical health of adults during the winter months.
