Yolanda 1,200 Minutes of Wellbeing for School Communities
This May, I'm taking on the YouthCARE Ridiculously Good Challenge — and my challenge is all about wellbeing.
My goal: 1,200 minutes of intentional wellbeing activities across the month of May.
That's 2 minutes for every school community across WA that YouthCARE supports — because every one of those communities deserves someone in their corner, especially the kids.
I figured the best way I could champion the mental health of young people and school staff is to lead by example by taking my own wellbeing seriously this month and invite others to sponsor me along the way.
My challenge is to clock up 1,200 minutes of wellbeing activities during the month — things like beach walks, exercise, reading, catching up with people I love, and making time for rest. It's 2 minutes for each of the 600+ school communities across WA that YouthCARE supports.
It's not about doing anything extreme — it's about being intentional. Throughout May I'll be logging minutes doing the things we all know are good for us but sometimes forget to prioritise:
- 🏃 Exercise and movement
- 🌊 Beach walks
- 🐶 Walking the dogs
- 🥗 Cooking and eating nourishing food
- 📚 Reading a good book
- 🎬 Watching a great movie
- ☕ Catching up with friends
- 👨👩👧 Hanging out with family
- 🌿 Quiet time and solitude
- 😴 Rest and recovery
1,200 minutes across 31 days works out to less than 40 minutes a day — totally doable. But doing it on purpose, logging it, and knowing it's raising money for young people across WA? That makes every minute count twice.
My Achievements
Fundraising page
Updated Profile Pic
Added a Blog Post
Received 5 Donations
Received 10 Donations
Received 15 Donations
Received 20 Donations
Reached Goal
Increased Target
My Updates
Week 2 and 3 Update
Monday 25th MayDay 11: I expanded my exercise repertoire today by joining hubby at the gym in the absence of his usual gym buddy. The physical challenge, combined with great company, made 65 minutes fly by — proof that who you exercise with matters just as much as the workout itself.
Day 12: Helping my niece with her homework turned into one of those quietly special moments. It's a good reminder that meaningful connections can grow in almost any situation — it really comes down to our mindset and the posture of our hearts. A short 15 minutes, but rich in all the ways that count.
Day 13: Today, hubby joined me for my leg program. All I'll say is this: 55 minutes of pure joy and laughter was exactly the mental reset I didn't know I needed. Laughter really is medicine for the soul.
Day 14: Thursdays gift me a little more breathing room, and today I used it well — curling up with my book for a good 45 minutes of uninterrupted reading. Simple and restorative.
Day 15: Finishing the week with a coffee pause. Just me, a warm cup, and a few quiet minutes to process the week and make the mental shift from work to home. It's short — only 15 minutes — but that deliberate act of switching off is what allows me to be fully present once I walk through the door.
Day 16: Just me, the garden, and worship music through my headphones. 45 minutes of sunshine, soil, and stillness. Blocking out the outside noise — literally — and letting myself just be for a while. My soul needed it.
Day 17: A restful afternoon spent exploring ideas to improve our veggie garden. There's something genuinely good for the soul about learning new things and letting your creativity wander. 60 minutes of dreaming and planning, and now I'm genuinely excited about growing more of our own food.
Day 18: The morning started with 45 minutes freshening up the front garden — and I loved every minute of it. There's something deeply satisfying about getting your hands in the ground and stepping back to see the result.
The afternoon had other plans. A full gym session turned into a 25-minute speed session when a child needed an early pick-up. I finished the last 15 minutes at home instead. It would have been easy to call it and stop early — but there's something important about finishing what you started, even when life reshuffles the plan.
Day 19: A walk with my niece, my nephew, and the dogs. Calming, connected, and unhurried. Healthy relationships build our sense of belonging, and times like this are also beautiful opportunities to speak into young lives and help shape healthy mindsets. 25 minutes that mattered far beyond the minutes themselves.
Day 20: A 45-minute gym session after a Chaplain Support Group meeting set a great tone for the evening. And the highlight of the evening? Our son made steak and blue cheese pasta for dinner. Fully appreciated, fully enjoyed.
Day 21: Tonight's intentional activity was reading before bed — something I do most nights, but tonight I lingered a little longer. 30 minutes of winding down with a good book. A small thing done with intention.
Day 22: Some days, life dictates the pace. Today was one of those days — demands were high, and energy was low by Friday evening. But a family meal out, everyone around the same table at the same time? That was enough. Short and sweet — 20 minutes — but exactly what was needed.
Day 23: A slower day, started the right way — breakfast with hubby and calm music setting the mood. The music continued as we each settled into our own individual projects; the kind of creative, purposeful work that brings quiet enjoyment. 95 minutes well spent, side by side.
Day 24: On a drive to Perth, I put the phone away and simply looked out the window. Intentionally. Kangaroos grazing in open fields. Two birds dancing together mid-flight. Cows dotting the landscape. Mist, sunshine, and a ribbon of smoke weaving across the horizon — photographic moments everywhere I looked.
Refocusing on beauty has a way of quietly ushering in gratitude. I lost track of time entirely — which felt like exactly the point. Somewhere between 60 and 90 minutes, and worth every one of them.
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Update Day 7 - 10
Monday 11th MayDay 7
Today, I was able to count a few small situations towards my mental health, but they were not intentional activities. They were just bonuses. My focused activity was reading for 20 minutes.
That concluded my first week with 716 minutes.
Day 8
Today, in my limited capacity to focus on my mental health, a coffee after work on the couch with my husband for 15 minutes was the only thing I was able to do. Someday we can do a lot, and some day we could do a little, but every bit helps.
Day 9
What a wonderful morning I had!!! My cup is full. I had the opportunity to stay at home today and do some cleaning. For some, it might not sound like a mental health activity, but I have discovered I do much better in an organised and clean home. Yet, what made today nice was that I was home most of the time by myself. I played worship music, sang, danced, and praised God. I actually didn't realise how much I did until I paused for a bit at lunchtime. Being in the flow of worship, gratitude for our blessings, and joy at seeing delayed tasks get done. I was physically exhausted by the time the rest came home, but I was thankful. I would say 300 minutes of wellness in a single day isn't too bad.
Day 10
On our way to Perth, I was able to read for 63 minutes and finish Abbey Spinelli's book I started last Saturday night. Reading relaxes me, yet this book also helped me to feel gratitude and courage for things the Lord has placed on my heart.
Pressing out the day
Wednesday 6th May
Physical health for mental health
Monday 4th May
Rest and Restart Painting
Sunday 3rd May
Social Connections
Saturday 2nd MayThere's something fascinating about focus — the moment you start paying attention to something, you begin to notice it everywhere.
That's been my experience this May as I work towards 1,200 minutes of wellbeing for the YouthCARE Ridiculously Good Challenge.
Yesterday was a perfect example. It started simply — worship music playing while I got ready and folded the washing. A small thing, but it set my heart on gratitude before I'd even left the house.
From there, the day unfolded beautifully. I joined around 50 South African ladies for a morning tea, reconnected with a "long lost friend," and made some wonderful new ones. There is something genuinely powerful about human connection — it lifts your mood in a way that's hard to explain but impossible to miss.
The afternoon brought more of the same — a lovely gathering with ladies from our church and a local retirement home, full of interesting conversation and warm company. We then had the privilege of hearing the inspirational story of Abbey Spinelli, which led me to finish the day curled up reading her book, In the Morning Came the Light.
A day rich in music, community, conversation, and story. That's at least 195 more minutes logged — and a good reminder that when you intentionally focus on wellbeing, the opportunities show up everywhere.
If you'd like to support my challenge, the link is in the comments. Every dollar raised goes directly to YouthCARE chaplains supporting students in WA schools. 💙
Family Movie Night
Friday 1st MayAfter a pretty full-on week, there's nothing quite like slowing down and gathering the family together. This week that looked like settling in for one of my all-time favourite films — Courageous, by the Kendrick Brothers.
If you haven't seen it, I'd highly recommend it. Fair warning though: have the tissues ready. It's the kind of movie that makes you cry in the best possible way — the sort of cry that feels like a release, like something you didn't even know you were carrying finally gets to come out. After a busy week, that's actually exactly what I needed.
And beyond the tears, the message of the film is just so good. It reminded me — reminded all of us — to refocus on what actually matters. Faith. Family. Courage. Integrity. Keeping each other accountable.
Which, when I think about it, is all contributing to our mental health.
A movie night might not sound like a dramatic wellbeing activity, but don't underestimate the power of a good story shared with the people you love. That's 129 minutes towards my 1,200.
Thank you to my Sponsors
$106.12
Neil Young
$54.84
Sandy Lynn
Wonderful cause Yolanda.
$54.84
Kelly-anne Walsh
For the ridiculously good care you provide so many of us with, day in, day out.
$54.84
Tracey Houghton
Dear Yolanda, We are very happy to support you and say well done on all your efforts, care and support you and all the YouthCare chaplains provide. Much love, In Christ, Jamie and Tracey
$28.43
Heather Simms
$28.43
Suzanne Mcdonald
$28.43
Marthinus Bronkhorst
$27.83
