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Welcome to Living Well Daily, the newsletter serving up a daily dose of care designed to support you, cheer you on and remind you, always, just how wonderful you already are.

In Today’s Edition:

🥰Well-Being & Self-Care: 2-Minute Self-Care Ritual: When You’re Grieving Something
💖Longevity & Wellness: How Many Steps For Better Brain Health?
✨Daily Affirmation & Daily Prompt

We’ve been reminding you this week how capable you are, and there is a reason for that…

It’s because you are!
And sometimes being reminded of it can help :)

Grief isn’t only something we experience when someone dies. We can grieve relationships, opportunities, places, identities, dreams, old versions of ourselves, or futures we thought we were going to have.

And because some losses aren’t easily recognized by others, we may feel pressure to minimize them or move on before we’re ready.

Grief doesn’t always need a solution. Sometimes it needs somewhere to exist.

💛 Step 1: Name What You’re Missing (30–45 seconds):
Pause and gently ask: “What am I grieving right now?”

Try to name the loss beneath the feeling. Maybe you miss a person, a possibility, a sense of belonging, or who you were before something changed.

Naming grief gives shape to something that can otherwise feel overwhelmingly heavy.

🤲 Step 2: Make Room Instead of Moving On (45 seconds):
Take a slow breath and give yourself permission to feel whatever is here.

You might place a hand on your heart and remind yourself: “I don’t have to rush this feeling away.”

Grief is often a reflection of attachment, hope, meaning, and love. Something mattered enough to leave an ache.

🌱 Step 3: Carry Something Forward (30–45 seconds):
Ask: “What from this do I want to carry with me?”

A memory. A lesson. Love. A part of yourself you discovered. Something beautiful that existed because this mattered.

Healing doesn’t always mean leaving something behind. Sometimes it means learning how to carry it differently.

✅ Action step: Give something you’re grieving two intentional minutes of space today without asking yourself to fix, minimize, or move beyond it.

^{Love, Lola Graham}

If you want to protect your brain as you age, then staying active is imperative. Even a few thousand steps a day can make an impact.

In a study that followed almost 300 older adults with early signs of Alzheimer’s for up to 11 years, those who got around 3,000 steps per day had lower levels of harmful tau proteins in the brain. They found that the strongest effects were around 5,000 to 7,500 steps, and beyond that, the benefits plateaued.

This study didn't take into account other variables. Still, this research, along with other research on the topic, like a 2022 study that tracked 78,430 people for seven years, found a 25% reduction in dementia risk with just 3,800 steps daily, rising to 50% at 9,800 steps, paints a clear picture...

Exercise is important for brain health and longevity. Exercise supports the brain through better blood flow, improved cardiovascular health, and the release of neurochemicals such as BDNF that support brain function.

✅ Action Step: If you are mostly sedentary, start by aiming for 3,000 steps a day, then work toward 5,000 to 7,500+ consistently.

^{By: Joshua Graham}

^{A mini-care practice for grounding, calming, and nervous system support.}

Picture a place, person, or memory that makes your body feel safer or steadier.

Before you go, let us know what you thought of today’s edition and if there are any subjects you would like us to cover in the future reply to this email and let us know!

If you find our newsletter helpful, we’d love for you to share it with a friend! If you’re that friend, you can subscribe here. Thanks for spreading the word! xo

With love and care,

Lola & Joshua | The Living Well Team

^{Living Well Daily is for educational purposes only and is in no way a substitute for professional medical and mental health advice and diagnosis. Please consult a qualified professional for care unique to your needs.}

^{Remember: It’s okay to ask for help. Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 (Canada & US).}