TLC Challenge

We officially kicked off our “book-to-screen” round Wednesday. Will you be watching the book adaptations to movies — when that becomes doable?

Are you excited to see the Dakota sisters in “The Nightingale”?

How about Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy in “Nine Perfect Strangers”?

Amy Adams’ portrayal of Anna Fox in “The Woman in the Window” is eagerly anticipated, but Katherine Heigl’s depiction of Tully received a meh reception in our discussion group.

Finally, there was a shout out for Dame Judy Dench in “Artemis”! Love her!

A friendly reminder that any type of activity counts in The Walking Book Club. The power of N.E.A.T. (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) adds up. N.E.A.T. energy is every activity we perform except sleeping or formal exercise/sports — like yard work, meal prep, housework or even fidgeting. It all makes a difference.

When you connect with friends over the phone, walk-n-talk. Not only is it N.E.A.T., as little as 4,000 steps per day improves brain function.

And for those of you working from home during COVID-19, consider bringing in more natural elements to your work space. Biophilia asserts that humans have an innate need to be connected to nature. Natural light, fresh air and sounds of nature can help reduce stress, something that often has a ripple effect of better productivity. Try the simple tweaks below.

Starting Today!

30-Day Self-Care Challenge: April 15 to May 15

How can we stay as healthy and happy as possible during this crisis? With love, positive social connection and TLC for ourselves. So I invite you to join us for the next 30 days in practicing some type of daily self-care. Any form or fashion counts. We are all different, thus the choice is yours.

Maybe it’s savoring a cup of green tea, sitting in the sun and taking some deep breaths or bumping “a walk up” to first priority. Consider the following areas for self-care, along with anything else that lifts your spirits:

• Eating behavior/nutrition

• Exercise/activity

• Stress management

• Spiritual refueling

• Connection to others

• Engaging your mind

Remember, I’m a big believer in the 80/20 philosophy — so it’s no big deal if you miss a day. Shoot for “most of the time.” All those who achieve 80% completion will be entered into a raffle for super-cute reading socks from Binc.

Print out the calendar and jot down your TLC action for the day. Keep us posted on what you choose for yourself — maybe you spark an idea for someone else in The Walking Book Club community.

Snap a picture of your calendar at the end to share in our Discussion Group or direct to me to be officially entered in drawing!

Thanks for sharing your smiles this past week.