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.

Find the little wins today, for they are everywhere. Like right now, you’re here, taking time to read something awesome (yes, we’re biased), and that is a win! Consciously make that winning streak continue, you got this!

When you’re overwhelmed or spiraling, it can feel like every negative thought is true and every emotion is the full story of your life. But this isn’t your whole self speaking, it’s just one part of you that’s activated. Internal Family Systems (IFS) teaches that we are made of many “parts,” and that our calm, grounded Self can support the parts that feel scared, sad, or overwhelmed.

Unblending means remembering that you are the one noticing the thought/feeling, not the thought/feeling itself. This creates space, softens intensity, and helps you respond with kindness and clarity instead of panic. This change in perspective takes practice but it’s both incredibly empowering and can dramatically shift our well-being.

Here’s how you can get started:

I like to think of it like inviting my hurt/anxious/upset part to tea with my whole grounded self. I’ll take a moment to breathe into my heart and feel my feet on the ground, connecting with my supportive Self, and from there, I’ll say hello to the part feeling distress. This allows me to step out of the quicksand and onto solid ground. Instead of getting lost in the thought or feeling, I can offer that part of me the support it needs. Try this next time you’re feeling off, keep practicing, and watch the growth and healing unfold.

✅Action step: The next time you feel overwhelmed, replace “I’m a mess” with “A part of me feels overwhelmed.” Notice what shifts.

^{Love, Lola Graham}

Yesterday, I talked about how having enough muscle mass is important to your physical function as you age, but there are other reasons, too! Researchers have found that those with younger, healthier brains tend to have more muscle mass and less hidden belly fat. This is important because better brain health means a lower risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's or Dementia. 

The belly fat they are referring to here is visceral fat, which is the fat that is stored deep in the abdomen and around the organs. Subcutaneous fat (fat stored just below the skin) showed no meaningful association with how old the brain looked. 

The researchers evaluated over a thousand participants using full-body MRI scans so they could see how the participants looked and so they could more accurately measure their muscle mass and fat levels. 

We already know that exercise is extremely important for brain health, so these findings might just reinforce this, as those who are more active tend to have more muscle mass. The takeaway here is to maintain and build your muscle mass if you want to keep your brain healthy for the long run. That means resistance training, sleeping well and eating enough protein.  

✅ Action step: Assess your exercise habits and start incorporating resistance training at least 2 times a week. 

^{By: Joshua Graham}

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!

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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).}