#BESTLife Monthly Meeting Topics
To participate in the meetings, you will need a digital or print copy of the #BESTLife workbook (free), a calendar/planner, a notebook/journal and the monthly self-care trackers (to download and print).
You will also need the following meditation crystals:
- Clear/white quartz (setting intentions and goals, focus, amplification, healing)
- Rose pink quartz (friendship, forgiveness, gratitude, love, self-love)
- Green aventurine (luck, success, money, prosperity, opportunity, growth)
- Yellow citrine (abundance, prosperity, motivation, business success, optimism, goal attainment)
- Caramel brown tiger eye (self-confidence, courage, personal power, will power, stress management)
- Creamy white/tan/peach moonstone (self-love, new beginnings, travel safety)
- Orangey-red carnelian (physical strength, stamina, motivation, inner strength)
- Purple amethyst (self-care, intuition, recovery, healing, sleep, creativity, travel, spirituality)
You can find these at local metaphysical shops such as Crystalis Treasures, Healing Crystals, Sticks and Stones and Terra Christa or online for about a dollar each. I recommend that you rinse these stones in running water or set them out in the moonlight to charge their energies (not sunlight – it may fade the color).
Please download or refer to your free copy of the BESTLIFE 2021 Resource Book
January Goals and Self-Care: Goal-Setting and Motivation
- Affirmation: I have clarity about what I want. I can achieve the goals I set for myself.
- Topic: Discuss ways to to keep working on goals when motivation dips or obstacles arise.
- Supplies needed: The January Self-Care Challenge, the #BESTLife workbook, your calendar/planner, your journal and vision board materials. You can also make your vision board in your journal or in your planner. You will also need a clear or white quartz stone/crystal.
- Before the meeting, please:
- Schedule a day and time to do the reading, journaling and activity.
- Print the January Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read: Resource Book: Types of Goals and How to Stay on Track with Goals and Vision Boards.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in this image. How do you plan to stay motivated to reach your goals in 2021?
- Activity: complete a vision board about one or all of your goals for 2021. Place the quartz on your completed vision board and meditate. Present your completed vision board(s) for show-and-tell at the meeting.
February Goals and Self-Care: Kindness and Contributions
- Affirmation: I love myself and others. I treat myself and others with kindness.
- Topic: We will discuss goals, plans and supports related to love and kindness.
- Supplies needed: The February Self-Care Challenge Tracker, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a rose quartz stone/crystal.
- Before the meeting, please:
- Schedule time to complete the reading and journal assignment.
- Print the February Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read: Kindness Challenge in the #BESTLife workbook. You may also create your own activities if they are more relevant for you.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in this image. What does it means to you to be a kind and loving person? How does being kind help you live your best life? What does being kind and loving to yourself look like?
- Activity: Select one kindness challenge to complete. Draw a heart and write your kindness challenge on it. Place a rose quartz on the heart and visualize yourself completing this challenge and how it will make you feel. Complete the challenge. Journal about it and come prepared to discuss what you learned and experienced at the meeting.
March Goals and Self-Care Success, Prosperity and Abundance
- Affirmation: I deserve my prosperity and success. I am blessed with good luck.
- Topic: We will discuss goals, plans and support related to money, finances and savings.
- Supplies needed: The March Self-Care Challenge Tracker, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a green aventurine stone/crystal.
- Before the meeting, please:
- Set aside time to complete the assignment.
- Print the March Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read: the Goal: Achievement and Goal: Comfort pages in the #BESTLife workbook.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in this image. Describe your relationship with money, perhaps starting with the messages you received about money and the values of wealth, success, abundance and prosperity growing up. What does it mean to believe you deserve success, abundance and prosperity in your life. Do you feel rich? Have you ever felt poor? What made the difference? Is wealth, abudance and luck a mindset or a bank balance? What is your experience with this feeling? Has this changed as you have grown older or gone through different life stages?
- Activity: Draw a lucky four-leaf clover with a green marker, pen or crayon. Label the leaves wealth, health, love and success. Meditate on what those four words mean to you personally. You may make notes on your shamrock if you wish. Place your aventurine on the drawing. Imagine you are charging the aventurine with the positive energy of abundance, attracting wealth, healht, love and success into your life right now. When you feel ready, tape your shamrock someplace where you will see it frequently this month. Put the aventurine in your wallet, coin purse or purse.
April Goals and Self-Care: Work and Self-Confidence
- Affirmation: I believe in myself and my ability to succeed.
- Topic: We will discuss goals, plans and supports related to self-confidence and effectiveness in multiple settings (workplace, home, school, etc.)
- Supplies needed: The April Self-Care Challenge, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a tiger eye stone/crystal.
- Before the meeting, please:
- Set aside time to complete the assignment.
- Print the April Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read the the Work Smarter goal page of the #BESTLife workbook.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in this image. What does it mean to believe in yourself – your judgment, capabilities and potential? What is your experience with self-confidence? Are you more or less confident in different settings? Work, home, school, etc.
- Activity: Create a short-term goal that will help you increase your self-confidence in a specific way. Write it in your journal and place your citrine on it. Visualize yourself achieving this goal successfully. Put the citrine in your purse or pocket and try it out! Come prepared to share your goal and experience at the meeting.
May Goals and Self-Care: Family and Relationships
- Affirmation: I am invested in my relationships. I see my family and friends through the eyes of love.
- Topic: We will discuss goals, plans and supports related to family, friendships, and other relationships, including interpersonal effectiveness and quality time.
- Supplies needed: the May Self Care Challenge Tracker, the 2021 Best Life Resolutions Work Book, your planner, your journal and a rose quartz stone/crystal.
- Before the meeting, please:
- Set aside time to do the assignment before the meeting.
- Print the May Self Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read: Happy Family and Goal: Connection in the #BESTLife workbook. Also read: Redbook Magazine’s 21 Relationship Resolutions.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape this image into your journal. Reflect: have there been times when you have taken someone you loved for granted? Write about a time that happened (or that happened to you). How did it make you feel? What goals can you set to be more intentional about the quality of your relationships in 2021?
- Activity: develop (at least) one goal that will help you improve the quality of an important relationship. Print a picture of the person and tape it into your journal along with the goal. Place a rose quartz on your picture and send your love into the intention. Imagine how this goal will improve your life and the relationship. Write about it in your journal and come prepared to share it at the meeting.
June Goals and Self-Care: Health and Fitness
- Affirmation: I am proud of the miracle that is my body. It feels great when I exercise and take care of myself.
- Topic: Goals related to physical health, nutrition, hydration and exercise. We have reached the six-month mark of the year, so we will discuss progress on health goals set at the beginning of the year.
- Supplies needed: The June Self-Care Challenge, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a carnelian crystal/stone.
- Before the meeting, pelase
- Set aside time to complete the assignment.
- Print the June Self-Care Challenge Tracker
- Read Around the Clock and Goal: Comfort pages of the #BESTLife workbook.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in the image. Revisit the health and exercise goals you set at the beginning of the year. Write about the progress you have made and what you have learned. If you have not worked on these goals, what challenges or obstacles did you face? How can you rework the goal and still meet your objectives?
- Activity: Holding the carnelian, imagine yourself completing a workout from beginning to finish. Then, bringing your crystal with you as an exercise buddy, complete one workout of your choice. How did working out make you feel? Write about it in your journal and share your experience withe the group. Extra credit: take a post-workout selfie!
July Goals and Self-Care: Travel and Adventure
- Affirmation: My spirit is open to the world and its wonders.
- Topic: Goals and plans related to local, domestic and global travel.
- Supplies needed: The July Self-Care Challenge, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a a moonstone (you can also use an amethyst, if you don’t have a moonstone).
- Before the meeting, pelase
- Set aside time to complete the assignment.
- Print the July Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read the Goal: Comfort and Hobbies, Pastimes and Interests pages of the #BESTLife workbook.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in the image. Did you set a travel or adventure goal at the beginning of the year? If so,write about your experience. If you have not worked on these goals, what challenges or obstacles did you face? Will you set a goal for 2022?
- Activity: Holding the crystal, reflect on a positive travel experience or journey. Write about it in your journal and share your experience withe the group. Extra credit: take a travel selfie!
August Goals and Self-Care: Strengths and Positive Outlook
- Affirmation: My inner strength sustains me. I see the bright side of life.
- Topic: Goals related to optimism, positivity and inner strength. Discuss how these qualities help us achieve other goals.
- Supplies needed: The August Self-Care Challenge, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a citrine stone or crystal (you can also use Tiger Eye).
- Before the meeting, pelase
- Set aside time to complete the assignment.
- Print the August Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read the Goal: Comfort and Highlight Your Character Strengths pages of the #BESTLife workbook.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in the image. How does having an optimistic spirit help you achieve your personal goals? Have you tried associating with positive and goal-driven people to motivate you? How do you practice positive thinking? How do you repel negativity?
- Activity: Place the amethyst on the affirmation or image. Reflect on how your optimism helps you in your life and goal work. Write about it in your journal and share your experience with the group.
September Goals and Self-Care: Values and Life Purpose
- Affirmation: Purpose guides my life and decisions.
- Topic: Goals related to life purpose and building on personal strengths. Discuss the challenge of matching talents and inclinations to work and community needs.
- Supplies needed: The September Self-Care Challenge, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a clear quartz stone or crystal.
- Before the meeting, please
- Set aside time to complete the assignment
- Print the September Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read and complete the Goal: Purpose, Life Mission and Values pages of the #BESTLife workbook.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in the image. How does does your life purpose direct your personal goals? How did you determine this driving force? Or are you still seeking it?
- Activity: Place the quartz on the affirmation or image. Reflect on how your life purpose. What in your life takes you closer or farther away from your purpose. Or write about your search for purpose. Share your thoughts with the group.
October Goals and Self-Care: Managing Stress
Affirmation: I keep my life in balance. I make time for self-care and relaxation.
- Topic: Goals related to emotional self-care and stress management. Discuss how self-care routines help sustain us to meet other goals.
- Supplies needed: The October Self-Care Challenge, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a rose quartz crystal.
- Before the meeting please,
- Set aside time to complete the assignment.
- Print the October Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read: Self-Care Goals and Mental Health pages of the Resource Book.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape this image into your journal. Reflect on the self-care goals you made at the beginning of the year and the self-care challenges you completed. Did incorporating self-care into your day become easier or more difficult? How did it change you?
- Activity: Looking back on the year, how did you take care of your emotional and mental health? How did this activity improve the quality of your life? What habits will you carry into 2022? Write about something you do for emotional self-care. Place the rose quartz on this intention and meditate. Come prepared to share at the meeting.
November Goals and Self-Care: Attitude of Gratitude
- Affirmation: I am grateful and content. My life is abundant with blessings.
- Topic: Goals related to gratitude. Discuss what abundance means for you.
- Supplies needed: The November Self-Care Challenge, the #BESTLife workbook, your planner, your journal and a citrine stone or crystal.
- Before the meeting, please:
- Set aside time to do the assignment before the meeting.
- Print the November Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read: the Gratitude Inventory and Best Intentions pages of the #BESTLife Workbook.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape this image into your journal. Reflect:
- Activity: Looking back on the year, when did you feel most grateful? Most content? As if you had an abundance of all you neeeded? In what ways did you express gratitude and appreciation for these good things in your life? How did this activity improve the quality of your life? What gratitude attitudes and habits will you carry into 2022? Write about something you are grateful for today. Place the citrine on this intention and meditate. Come prepared to share at the meeting.
December Goals and Self-Care: Hobbies and Creative Interests
- Affirmation: I have the heart of a poet and the soul of an artist. I see beauty and meaning all around me and inside me.
- Topic: We will discusss goals, plans and supports related to interests, hobbies, creativity, knowledge and self-expression.
- Supplies needed: your calendar/planner, your your notebook/journal and your amethyst.
- Before the meeting, please:
- Set aside time to complete the activities.
- Print the December Self-Care Challenge Tracker.
- Read: Interests, Mine Your Passion and Hobbies, Pastimes and Interests pages of the Resource Book.
- Journal: Write the affirmation in your journal or tape in this image. What is your favorite hobby? When did you start doing it? How does your hobby help you live your best life? You may pick more than one if you like.
- Activity: Take a picture of yourself doing one of your favorite hobbies or past-times, print it and put in your journal. Holding onto your amethyst, meditate on what creativity means to you. How can you become an even more creative person with more diverse interests in 2022? Be prepared to share at the meeting. Bonus: select a new hobby you would like to try in 2022.
Note: please make plans to join us at the end of December for the annual New Year’s Resolutions Workshop. Date will be announced in this blog.
#BESTLIFE New Year’s Resolutions Workshop
Reflect on the highlights of the past year and participate in activities to help you feel positive, empowered and ready for the new year.
- Goal-setting basics
- Examples of resolutions
- Group discussion and support
- Vision board craft
#BESTLife Workshop 