Welcome to Refinery29’s Feel Good Diaries, where we explore the broad definition of wellness and what it really means to us. This series is an extension to our long standing Money Diaries series, where we ask readers to chronicle a week of their spending. In Feel Good Diaries, we do the same — except with the focus on health and wellness-related spending rather than overall purchases.
Wellness is both physical and emotional, and looks different for everyone. Keeping track of your routine — whether it’s rigid or more sporadic, whether it’s a morning workout or a mid-afternoon nap — can help you hold yourself accountable and also allows you to appreciate the steps you already take to care for yourself. These diaries let us peek into the intimate routines of Refinery29 readers, and they have the opportunity to make us feel less alone in our own personal wellness journeys — whatever they may look like.
How do I submit my Feel Good Diary?
Simple! Log your wellness spending over seven days and report back all of the details to us using this Google Form. Ideally, you’ll have three updates per day, and each should be around 100-250 words. These updates should include everything you did to take care of your physical and mental wellbeing, and should include:
Fitness (classes, runs in the park, streaming workouts)
Food (meals, protein powders, meal delivery services, special diets, and foods)
Supplements (vitamins, potions, powders)
Services (therapy, massages, cryotherapy, saunas, facials, infrared sessions, acupuncture, and anything else)
Extras (meditation, candles, apps, journaling, and anything else)
Sex (vibrator use, sexual purchases, lingerie, masturbation — anything sex-related you do!)
Please make each entry as detailed as possible, and include how it made you feel and any mishaps, and please timestamp each daily update and share the costs à la Money Diaries.
Keep in mind that all Feel Good Diaries published to the site are anonymous. We post your age, location, job, salary information, and daily diary entries but never your name or contact information. This information is only given to our Feel Good Diary editors, who may reach out with questions.
You will be contacted if your Feel Good Diary is chosen for publication. In order to keep to a timely publishing schedule, we require a response within 72 hours. Submission of your Feel Good Diary does not guarantee publication. If your Feel Good Diary is chosen for publication, you will be entitled to receive a flat fee in the amount of $150 USD or £150 GBP (depending on your country of residence), subject to such further terms and conditions as we may deem reasonably necessary. Feel Good Diaries that are not published are not entitled to receive any payment. We will not remove Feel Good Diaries once published.
Prior to submitting your Salary Story, please read and consider Refinery29’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy (or Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for UK residents). By submitting your Salary Story to Refinery29, you agree to abide and be bound by the applicable Terms of Use and Privacy Policy referenced herein.
Tips for writing your Feel Good Diary
Record the time of day, amount spent, and a little blurb about what you bought for every wellness-related purchase. The more detail you provide, the better understanding we get of your day-to-day, which is what makes a Feel Good Diary fun to read.
We want to hear about your wellness practices beyond what you spend money on, too! We encourage you to record all workouts, walks, wellness moments (the good and the bad!), time with friends and family, meals, and if you go grocery shopping during the week, include a list of everything you bought. If you have a partner that you share finances with, please include any of their purchases for the week. Please try to keep your Feel Good Diary between 3,000-5,000 words.
Let’s get started
Click here to fill out the Feel Good Diary form now.
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Here's How To Submit Your Salary Story
