Life is hard. Sometimes we struggle. Sometimes we struggle A LOT. As someone who has struggled, I am here to tell you: it’s okay. It’s okay to have bad days. It’s okay to cry, to get upset, to be emotional. It’s okay to not always have it all together. It’s okay to struggle sometimes. And if life just feels too much, it is okay to reach out to someone for help. Don’t ever let anyone tell you any different.
One of the things that was a help to me in my own wellness journey (which I am still on – it’s a life-long thing) was using a wellness planner as a way to ensure that I was checking in with myself and to help me track various items in my self-care regimen so that I could see what I was doing well and see what still needed some attention and work. Being on a budget meant I couldn’t afford to buy a ready-made planner, so I set out to make my own.
Later, when I opened my Etsy store, I had planned to sell my wellness planner as a digital download. A quick search showed me that the market is already well-saturated with similar product, many of which are far fancier than what you’ll find here. What’s a girl to do?
I decided to give my wellness planner away instead.
I know what it’s like to struggle, and I know what it’s like to be on a tight budget, with little to no money to spare after the bills are paid. This wellness planner is a useful tool that some will find beneficial, and I want to make it available so that it can be a help to folks who need it. It’s suitable to a wide range of ages, and it has a basic, monochromatic design, which means you can add color, stickers, die cuts and the like to add your own flair and truly make it your own if you so desire.
The format is straightforward. You can answer larger blocks with a single word, or you can write a sentence or two – whichever fits your needs and/or your energy level.
The Daily Page
On the daily pages, there’s a space for you to write about your mood (or moods – my mood often fluctuates over the course of a day). You can record any wins (celebrate your accomplishments, even if they seem small – a win is a win) and how you might have unplugged that day. There is also space to track your overall energy level that day, the amount of sleep you got, how well you are hydrating, how many sugary foods or beverages you consumed (especially helpful if you are battling high blood sugar or weight), whether you took your medications, what self-care activities you engaged in that day, and your blood sugar reading.
On page 2, you can note the not-so-good (negatives), and this can include things or people who triggered you or areas where you maybe didn’t do as well as you would have liked. The “Spiritual” block can be used to record a Bible verse, a quote from a devotional or Bible study, a quote from someone who inspires you, or a word or phrase that resonates with your soul. There’s also a box for recording daily gratitude. Additionally, there are more self-care trackers: dental, reading, and weight. You won’t need the weight tracker every day. Professionals recommend weighing in once per week, maximum.
The “Did You” block helps helps you see where something may be lacking in your routine and/or may be impacting your energy levels, mood, or overall mental or emotional health. This also helps build awareness of how these small things in your daily routine – or lack of them – can affect you. And finally, the “Today Was” block allows you to give your day an overall rating if you want. Our long-term goal is to have more good days than bad ones – progress instead of perfection.
The Weekly Review
The Weekly Review is exactly what it sounds like. It’s where you review your week. If you filled out 6 daily pages, you can use them to look back over your week and fill in the Weekly Review on the seventh day. This can help you make a more objective assessment of your week and help you think through how and why you felt the way you did at certain times during the week.
In setting wellness goals, we aim for progress rather than perfection, and we understand that it is okay if things don’t go according to plan. We can always try again.
Your word for the next week can be something you want to focus on, something you need to be mindful of, or it could be a word that inspires you or brings you joy or hope. Alternately, you may have a quote or words of wisdom for that space. What is it that you need to hear right now? Perhaps that is what you write here.
When you are looking at steps to take toward meeting your wellness goals, keep them small, make them attainable, strive for simple. Maybe your goal is to unplug (no TV, no internet, no phone or tablet, no video games) for 10 minutes every day that week. Or maybe you want to start incorporating exercise, so you set a goal to walk for 10 minutes a day, three days that week. I have a sign in my home that says, “Small steps every day.” Your goals do not need to be big or lofty.
That one thing. Don’t underestimate the power of that one thing. Looking forward to meeting up with a friend? An afternoon in the park? Quiet time doing absolutely nothing at all? Write it down! What’s your one thing for the next week? This helps you keep looking forward, gives you something to anticipate, and helps build a sense of hopefulness. And if that one thing doesn’t materialize, that is okay. We will look for the next one thing.
The last two sections on the Weekly Review are open-ended. There’s a section for “Notes,” where you can record anything else that may come to mind while you are filling out your review. Or maybe you read an article at an established, trusted psychology blog and want to jot some notes to remember. It’s up to you. The bottom portion is blank. You can keep writing, doodle, sketch, cover it with stickers or stamps, glue in a picture, or even leave it blank. It’s your call.
The planner is sized for US letter (8.5″ x 11″) paper, double-sided, and cut in half. At roughly A5 size, the pages will fit in a mini binder or an A5 ringbound (or discbound, if that’s your thing) planner.
The planner’s design lends itself to flexibility. Feel free to change up headers (correction tape, stickers, or labels can help here) to suit your needs. Also feel free to share this planner with a friend who may find it useful too.
Download Planner Here:
Daily Page only
Weekly Review only
Both daily and weekly pages in a single file
Thank you for stopping by.
Peace be with you.