Health & Wellness (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star)

Blogmas 2021

Blogmas 2021 consists of 12 days of podcast/video episodes and, for the sake of our sanity, we’ll do one big ass blog post—that’s THIS one right here—that will sum it all up! 😳🤷🏽‍♀️😬

We’re focusing on health and wellness for the D.I.Y. Rock Star. This is going to be a different kind of challenge for us, but we think it’ll be a lot of fun and will get us in the right mindset to start the year right. 💥🧘🏾‍♂️🥳😊

We hope you all tuned in December 12 through the 24th! 👋🏾(If not, the playlist is at very bottom of this post.)

#wellness #health #fitness #nutrition #diyrockstar #prejippie #bloomingprejippie #blogmas2021 #bloglife #musiclifestyle #musicblog

200. Welcome to Blogmas 2021; Happy 200th Episode!

Mental and physical Wellness are critical to EVERYBODY, but I think being involved in ANY pursuit that asks you to bare your introverted soul to the public PROBABLY puts us MORE susceptible to turning to negative ways to “cope.” As with MOST things, we suggest you think ahead and have some strategies in place to keep you from drugs, binge-eating, doom-scrolling, and from depression. Lining up healthy activities and foods help keep you in the right mindset to feel better no matter how your art is being received. Also, we’re heading into a new year, so it seemed like a great time to think of new ways to live better. That’s what we decided to focus on for this blogging challenge. So, stay tuned for advice on health and wellness from fellow D.I.Y. Rock Stars. Welcome to Blogmas 2021!

More about why someone would even BOTHER with a blog challenge:

http://bit.ly/blogchallengebenefits

201. Eating better

We’re not necessarily talking about organic or plant-based, but eating less processed foods, along with eating more fruits and vegetables and less fat will benefit you overall. None of us are getting any younger, so in order to look out for long-haul, it’s best to try to eat better when you can. It may feel good in the moment to eat whatever we want, but future you will thank you for taking just a little more care with your consumption. So, whether you’re at work or eating with family at the holidays, try to eat as healthy as possible. Help future you be prouder. And you will fit your rock star gear better if you’re fitter.

201. Eating better (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 1

(video: https://bit.ly/201blogmaseatingvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/201blogmaseatingpod )

202. Find a fitness regimen

We recommend that you find a daily fitness regimen that gives you AT LEAST 30 minutes of cardio and some strength training. –Again, in a nod toward staying fit in the present AND in the future, try to get your heart pumping and your muscles flexing regularly. It helps you be able to do those rad live performance moves AND be able to lift the mic stand and be able to fit into those rock star-tight-type of clothes. So, get it in!

203. Finding your “flow”

Much of what we discuss when it comes to wellness is figuring who you are, so that you can maximize your energy and spend your time. We place so many demands and expectations on ourselves, but really, it’s figuring out what makes you most joyful that is feeding your soul, so do less of the shit that drags you down and do more of the shit that lights you up! Your flow is your sweet spot and will help you reach your goals faster.

204. Join competitive/communal races

These communal fitness events are a fun way to focus on your fitness in a group of likeminded folks. It’s not that we’re competing with those around us—in fact, we suggest that you “run your own race’—but it reminds us that we are being a part of something fitness-related that generates a lot of positive energy. Even as typical “non-joiners,” these kinds of things help us stay motivated and committed to our fitness. We do the Turkey Trot and the Detroit Free Press Marathon, but there are events that happen in every town. If you’d like to find one in your area, Google fitness events or go to your local running store to inquire. They usually have quite a list posted. These are easy opportunities to push your fitness participation to a whole new level, which is why we highly recommend it.

205. The value of choosing effective fitness gear

Things like good sneakers, wicking clothes, AirPods/earbuds, and a playlist or podcast list are must-haves, if you plan to be in the fitness game for the long haul. Trust us; you DON’T want to skimp on these things, because they will help you work longer and find more joy in the process. It’s well-worth the investment. Running stores can help fit you for the best fit for your feet. –No, we are NOT sponsored by ANYBODY. But these are the things that we recommend for choosing what’s going to do you good.

206. Find ways to decompress

Find ways to get that re-coup from the stress of it. Don’t rely on social media scrolling and sleeping too much. Find things that are a reward, but don’t involve food or too much time on social media. Sweet exploits like that Poem-a-Day email are ways to slip away and entertain some other ideas WHILE you’re in the middle of the thickness will help you remember that there’s joy in the art of things. Other people’s playlists are another way of finding something new that can allow you to relax, but to also spark new creative fires.

7 Self-Care Activities for Musicians

http://bit.ly/7self-care

207. Try gratitude journaling

We know there’s a movement away from the “talking cure,” but I SWEAR journaling helps keep me sane, dialed in, and ready for whatever comes my way generally. By “talking it out”—through my journal—I can ask—and answer!—the hard questions that allow me to examine my behavior, my reactions to things, and to chart out my next moves. Yes, sometimes these thoughts are TOO painful to share with anyone else, but I have to be honest with MYSELF. Once I write it out, solutions begin to reveal themselves, and I almost INSTANTLY feel better and am ready to face the challenges that USED to knock me straight off my square. Besides, I usually end my writing feeling eternally grateful for SOMETHING that has gone RIGHT in my life, which is why I thought it was important to mention that it’s “gratitude journaling.” Sometimes, I begin by telling about something that went right yesterday BEFORE I launch into what’s been fucked up, but OFTEN, I start with the “what’s bad” rant and by the end, I realize what’s going right. Either way, somewhere in there, I acknowledge that there’s some good stuff to reflect on. That’s my mojo. 😬💥 (http://bit.ly/plannerpmg)

208. Roll financial wellness/literacy into the plan.

So many of our earlier problems were tied to not understanding how finances worked. Since strained finances are often the cause of so much stress, we finally made a point to figure these things out and we have never regretted it. Understanding what money is coming in, what is going out, and deciding what is “worth” the work and what is not has been a game-changer for us, so we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that spending just a little time figuring this out and understanding how you will manage this on a regular basis will be worth your time. –Of course, it took us 30 years to figure this out, but, nonetheless, it’s worth our time now, and we assure you, that it’s worth your time to do so as well.

209. Choose wellness community/accountability partners

Our journey is a unique one, so it takes thinking, talking, trying ideas that often friends and family can’t relate to. It’s NOT that they don’t love you; it’s just NOT a path that they understand sometimes, so that DON'T know how to help you. That’s when you need a group of people who are going along a similar journey—even if it’s NOT quite the same path. I know I give the same example often, but knowing what companies are best for printing your custom band tees is of utmost importance to many of us on this D.I.Y. Rock Star journey and often it is ONLY folks who have had those same frustrations—and discoveries—can help ease our concerns in these kinds of areas. Having a friend or two—or a group or two—that you can turn to can make all the difference in the world when it comes to working through these kinds of things.

The BENEFITS of Creating a Vision Board (esp. for the D.I.Y. Rock Star)

http://bit.ly/rockstarvision

210. Creating online boundaries

During the pandemic, it at first seemed as if we have “extra” time in our schedules—those of us who are working from home. But increasingly, employers—and ourselves—have started to NOT know when to turn work “off.” According a recent episode of Accidental Creative, Todd Henry talks about peers of his, who NOT only rarely took breaks in the day, but who sometimes—oftentimes—worked from 7 am to 8 pm online daily. We think that this is NOT only NOT healthy for a thriving work life, long-term, but does not even give your eyes, wrists, neck, and back a break from arduous hours of work.

211. Goal setting

It’s hard to get to a place that you don’t have a plan to get to. That’s the unmitigated value in setting goals. We KNOW we’ve said it before, but it’s hard to know where you want to get to, if you don’t set a goal and then make a plan to get there. When you do so, it is easier to chart your progress. Without that, you are metaphorically, throwing darts onto a dart board, but not aiming for a particular spot. Life will pass and you will wonder why you haven’t achieved some of your aspirations. –As folks who have spent FAR too long wishing days away and waiting for someone else to figure all this shit out (see our story here: http://bit.ly/allthethingsprej ), we realized how much further along we could be NOW if we had been brave enough to SAY what we WANTED and to make the UNUSUAL choice to PLAN to get there. We don’t want you to have to wait to realize your creative dreams. That’s why we’re making it a point to share all this. Plan now; manifest sooner.

212. The value of reflection

It’s the end of the year and that’s a great time to take stock on what has gone right in your plans this past year. Because this past year and a half have blended into such a mass of marbled memories, it is ESPECIALLY important to take stock of whatever amended goals that carried over from the start of this pandemic to now. Reflection is a way to process how you have handled pursuing goals and gives you a basis to know what you’d like to try to make a move on for the upcoming year. So, whatever you do, don’t skip this step.

Finally...

Being individuals that put our hearts and souls out there for everyone to partake of, artists—ESPECIALLY!—need to make sure that health and wellness are constantly attended to, so that we can continue to give those most personal parts of ourselves. That’s what choosing it as blog/podcast challenge was a joy; since we like to remind ourselves to re-fill our wellness well, just as much as we want the same for you all. It would mean the world to us if you shared this post with others who need this same reminder.

Blogmas playlist: https://bit.ly/blogmas2021playlistvids

Blogmas Topics Index:

Gab & Jam (Blogmas/Health & Wellness for the D.I.Y. Rock Star):

200. Welcome to Blogmas/Happy 200th episode! Intro to Health & Wellness (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) (video: https://bit.ly/200blogmaswelcomevid and podcast: https://bit.ly/200blogmaswelcomepod )

201. Eating better (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 1 (video: https://bit.ly/201blogmaseatingvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/201blogmaseatingpod )

202. Find a fitness regimen (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 2 (video: https://bit.ly/202blogmasregimenvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/202blogmasregimenpod )

203. Find your flow (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 3 (video: https://bit.ly/203blogmasflowvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/203blogmasflowpod )

204. Join communal fitness (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 4 (video: https://bit.ly/204blogmasracesvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/204blogmasracespod )

205. Choosing effective fitness gear (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 5 (video: https://bit.ly/205blogmasgearvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/205blogmasgearpod )

206. Find ways to decompress (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 6 (video: https://bit.ly/206blogmasdecompressvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/206blogmasdecompresspod )

207. Try gratitude journaling (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 7 (video: https://bit.ly/207blogmasjournalvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/207blogmasjournalpod )

208. Add financial fitness/wellness into a decrease stress plan (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 8 (video: https://bit.ly/208blogmasfinancevid and podcast: https://bit.ly/208blogmasfinancespod )

209. Choose wellness community/accountability partners (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 9 (video: https://bit.ly/209blogmaspartvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/209blogmaspartpod )

210. Creating online boundaries (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 10 (video: https://bit.ly/210blogmasboundsvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/210blogmasboundspod )

211. Goal setting (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 11 (video: https://bit.ly/211blogmasgoalsvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/211blogmasgoalspod )

212. The value of reflection (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) – Day 12 (video: https://bit.ly/212blogmasreflectvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/212blogmasreflectpod )