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:

You are more fantastic, enchanting and marvellous than a sky full of butterflies. 🦋

Emotional numbing doesn’t always look dramatic. Often, it shows up as flatness, disconnection, or moving through life on autopilot. You’re functioning, but not fully feeling. Not deeply distressed, but not deeply present either.

This response is often protective. When emotions have felt overwhelming, unsafe, or unsupported, the nervous system may learn to turn the volume down. It’s not a flaw, it’s a survival strategy. But over time, numbing can also quiet joy, connection, and meaning.

Coming out of numbness isn’t about forcing yourself to feel more. It’s about gently creating safety so your system can begin to open again, at its own pace.

Signs and gentle ways to reconnect:

You don’t have to dive into big emotions. Small moments of presence are enough to begin.

✅ Action step: Choose one grounding moment today: feel the warmth of a mug, notice your breath, or step outside and name three things you see or hear. Let yourself return in tiny, gentle ways.

^{Love, Lola Graham}

Growth rarely happens in total comfort. Whether you’re building strength, changing habits, or learning to regulate stress, a small amount of intentional discomfort signals the body and brain to adapt. This is the principle of stress with recovery: when you challenge yourself just enough, muscles grow stronger, your nervous system becomes more resilient, and your confidence expands.

Discomfort, however, can point in two very different directions. Sometimes it shows you where growth is possible. Other times, it signals danger. Learning to distinguish between them is essential.

That’s where wisdom comes in. Productive discomfort feels uncomfortable but safe, like breathing hard during cardio, pushing through the final reps of a set, choosing an apple instead of candy, or sitting with difficult emotions rather than avoiding them. Unproductive discomfort, on the other hand, overwhelms or injures the system instead of strengthening it.

And just as important as leaning in is recovery. Without rest and care, even healthy stress stops building you up. Growth happens in the balance.

✅ Action step: Choose one small, healthy discomfort today, like a walk when you don’t feel like it, an extra set or rep, a mindful pause, set a boundary, etc. and recover well afterward. Growth lives in that balance.

^{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).}