Welcome to Living Well Daily, the newsletter serving up tips to help you live a healthier, happier life.

In today’s edition:

You are spectacular, like a shooting star flying across the night sky in the middle of the aurora borealis.

Dance can be a highly effective way to improve physical function (especially in less active older adults), supporting healthy aging.

A comprehensive systematic review of 18 studies (Hwang et al. 2015) showed that dance significantly enhances muscular strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility, all crucial for maintaining mobility and independence as you age.

The review covered a variety of dance styles, including ballroom, contemporary, cultural, jazz, and pop, demonstrating that dance is adaptable and enjoyable for older adults, even those with existing health conditions.

The key is regular participation to see real improvements in physical function, such as a 45-minute session once a week for six weeks.

Dancing can also be a great opportunity for social interaction and cognitive engagement. 

Dance can be an accessible, enjoyable, and powerful exercise for enhancing physical health to help you age better.

✅ Action Step: Dance more! Even if it is alone in your home.

We pick up feelings and beliefs from the people around us, sometimes without realizing it. Soon, we’re weighed down by anxiety, fear, or expectations that aren’t even ours. Being empathetic and feeling with/for another person is a beautiful gift; however, we need to learn how to put down those worries instead of allowing the weight to become ours long term. Learning to pause and ask “Is that mine?” can help you set down what doesn’t belong to you. 

Clues* to help you spot when it’s not yours:

*Clues is an important word here because, of course, we will feel for people we love and the goal is not to avoid everything difficult, but, instead to recognize that letting go is important and so is having a say in how we look at the world.

✅ Action Step: When a thought or feeling starts to weigh you down, pause and ask: “Is that mine, or did I pick it up from somewhere else?” If it’s not yours, imagine handing it back, or letting it float away like a balloon. If it is yours, ask yourself “What can I do to offer myself support?”

You deserve to feel calm, cared for, and connected, this is one way to gift that to yourself.

You are not too much. You never were. You are exactly right as you are.

If you set down your expectations for what you need to do in life, what do you truly want for yourself?

Light a candle — like when a room instantly feels warmer and softer just from its glow.

🌺Bring Flowers to Someone
Handpicked wildflowers, store-bought, send an emoji, or homegrown. A little something to say I’m thinking of you. Not a flower person? Try a nice rock or a pretty leaf. As August is coming to an end, let’s connect with nature to share the love.

These four responses are your nervous system’s ways of protecting you when it senses threat.

Day 4: Why Awareness Matters
Knowing your patterns helps you choose a response instead of running on autopilot.

^{Darling, don’t give up on yourself, you’re so worth it. Sending love} 💕

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!

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).}