NST November 2025: NOWvember

apple_muncher

NST November 2025: NOWvember

November involves fairy lights, warm jumpers, umbrellas, snuggly blankets, hot drinks…

The theme for the turtles this November is NOW and has two strands, both of which involve starting by looking at your life as it currently is, in all its glory, as well as warts and all.

Firstly, look at your current life as a NOW – a PRESENT tense event. A PRESENT that is a GIFT. What is going well? What do you have that the you of 10/20/30+ years ago could only dream of? What – and who – do you have in your life that you are grateful for?

Be in the NOW: I recently started to begin my day with sitting in silence, focussing on my breath for 3 minutes as the coffee percolates. 3 minutes is totally doable and starts my day with a win. I also love sitting looking out over the back garden and pondering.

Secondly, look at your current life and acknowledge the PAST that has brought you to you personal NOW. We have all travelled different paths and I am personally so grateful that I came across ninjasavingkat and then the turtles during my own journey. We hear that our pasts have shaped us, which of course they have, but they do not define our NOW nor our FUTURE NOWs.

Looking at your current NOW, scrutinise it and acknowledge what you would like to change/achieve/acquire for your FUTURE NOW. Write it down. Then write down 2 steps you can do to move each change forward this month. Don’t, I repeat very loudly do not, overcommit yourself. As beanielou tells us, babysteps and plodding are good. (I think it’s you, beanie!)

 

NSDs. Aim for 12 this month. But if you need to shop frequently, make sure you keep within your budget instead. You keep an NSD if you only spend on medical needs (including parking), travel expenses (fuel, bus, train), reduced food, utility bills, purchases from charity shops.

Out and about. It is dark. It is cold. It may well be wet and windy. But being outside is still a good thing. Dress appropriately, make sure you can be seen. Go and kick up some leaves, splash in puddles, build a snowperson if you are lucky enough to have the white stuff.

Winner winner, Christmas dinner. There are 55 days to go. What can you do this month to make it the most beautiful time of the year for you? Simplify the food? Reduce the presents? Cut back on expensive outings? Set out your perfect day and do as much of it as you can. We tend to eat scrambled egg for breakfast and steak for lunch – dh does a mean steak, so I get waited on!

Veggies. Get them down yer gullet. In season this month are: beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chestnuts, kale (yuk!!), leek, pumpkin, potato, parsnip, swede and squash. Cranberries and pears are the seasonal fruits. You know they are good for you, whether fresh or frozen.

Enjoy your NOW. Pause and breathe. Let us know your daily gratitudes.

Make time for things you enjoy and things that benefit you. Make lists for shopping, presents, meals, jobs to do, books to read, places to visit.

Bring your own… lunch to work, snacks when out and about, spare food and drink to keep in the car.

Exercise your mind and your body. Do puzzles, watch quizzes, go on Popmaster (Thrifty!), read books, create, learn. And keep your body moving in the way that is best for you, from Acrobatics to Zumba and everything in between. You could even do an A-Z of activities to kill two birds with one stone!

Remember those that have less than you. Donate if you can. Chat if you can.

The NOW challenge runs for all of November.

Who is with me?

beanielou

Thanks @apple_muncher.  Can I please have no 3.

Esmeralda2662

Hi @apple_muncher, please could I join NOWvember and have No.19? Thank you! X

weenancyinAmerica

I'd love to join you. I need the inspiration.

grandmanerd

Me please apple - not sure what I can do but as long as I keep doing what I can, I will get there

DrCarrie

I am in for NOW -the present is a gift, treasure it. 

Lovelly challenge apple. 

BadBookkeeper

Can I join please?  Noticing some bad spending habits creeping in,  and money being flittered away, want to pay off a small cc balance (debt neutral as have in savings but didn’t want to use it if I can leave it)! Everything in everyday life needs some of my attention (life admin/family/decluttering /deep cleaning/christmas/socialising/self care etc challenge looks perfect for this to keep me on track! 

thriftylass

@apple_muncher, can I please join. Thank you

dustydigger

Hello ninja turtles. I have been away from MSE for several years,apart from keeping touch with the Alcohol Free Days group.where I am hoping to reach my 300 AFD target for the year.
I have all sorts of problems with health,both physical and struggling with depression. Plus my DH,Mr Dusty is in cognitive decline after a massive catastrophic stroke destroyed his speech centre a few years ago and he has a blood disease that affects his brain..Its taken several years to get him sort of stabilized he hasnt been in hospital for many months which is great. My ill health and depression has had me only focusing on looking after him on a daily basis,housework ,organisation,keeping a grip on  life in general has been allowed to lapse.
In the past I have used MSE forums to help me be accountable and focused. Each time I had different goals or plans and MSE truly helped me to improve my life. I find the sympathetic ears so helpful,as being a carer for someone who cant communicate can be depressing. Coming back to being part of a group should help a lot.
I need to get back into organizing my home . Finances are not too bad. Indeed there are certain oddities in that area  which I would like to share
I have to agree with BadBookkeeper above '' Everything in everyday life needs some of my attention (life admin/family/decluttering /deep cleaning/christmas/socialising/self care etc.
Not sure about doing a full challenge,I am just coming back to the site,and taking care of Mr Dusty can be trouble free quiet and peaceful one day then fraught and upsetting another,so bear with me please.
I do have a big family but all four kids have full time jobs and kids or even grandkids and they are finding Mr Dusty's state upsetting and awkward. I understand fully,so am not wanting any posts  criticising them. I fully understand their situation its a common reaction to his condition,but it does mean all those large noisy regular chaotic meetings no longer happen,they pop in singly for 10 mins here and there perhaps once a week or even fortnightly,so most of the time me and Mr Dusty are alone. We live quietly and my focus in life is to make that possible for as long as possible. Times when he has been in hospital have been horrendous.. He has been anxious agitated panic stricken stricken and upset,having to be sedated  and being a constant problem for the staff. Imagine him in a home. Terrible.
So the plan is to keep going with a simple ordinary everyday life as long as possible. and I think this group will be a big help.
Excuse any odd actions,I am not the sanest stable person lol
And its good to see beanielou is now an ambassador! Fantastic! Many congrats. I still keep in mind your favourite comment,''keep on plodding''
Wow this is turning into War and Peace,so I'm off to make dinner. Later today I'll study the Ninjas a bit then see what I can do to fit in as well as possible.

beanielou

@dustydigger. So lovely to hear from you. So sorry that things have been challenging for you both so much recently. 

Keep plodding! x 

weenancyinAmerica

@dustydigger - Sounds like when I was caring for my mother. My sisters worked and couldn't help - and didn't understand at all what I was going through. When my mother was in the nursing home, she kept singing "Amazing Grace" all night long - so they asked me to take her home. Fortunately, one sister had a Scout troop mother who needed work at night. So she came and stayed with my mother at home and they sang a variety of songs together so I could get some sleep. But it is hard having to take care of someone all day and night. Find some one to help you, even if it is just a friend who can come in for a couple of hours so you can go shopping. Even if you aren't a Mormon, you can sometimes have them come and help around the house as they have to do service in the community each month. Maybe they can come while you take a class in something. If necessary, take a class with Open University on the computer so you can have contact with people in Zoom meetings. Maybe you and your family members can visit on the computer. That wasn't available when I was taking care of my mother. It might have made it easier for my sisters to understand the problems. Good luck and don't be afraid to talk about your problems on here.