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 lovable, capable, and worthy, exactly as you are.

When you feel frozen, shut down, numb, or stuck, you might be stuck in a freeze response. This is a nervous system state that can occur after stress, overwhelm, or prolonged pressure. Your body shifts into conservation mode.

In freeze, motivation may feel distant, movement may feel heavy, and even simple actions can seem difficult. This isn’t a personal failure; it’s your system trying to protect and stabilize itself.

The goal isn’t to force motivation or push aggressively. Instead, it’s to invite gentle activation and aliveness that help your nervous system shift gradually. 

Three supportive ways to come out of freeze:

💃 Short bursts of movement:
When you’re stuck in freeze, sometimes the last thing you want to do is move, but it can do wonders for helping to bring your system back online. Start small. You can shake out your hands and arms, let your body move to a song, or go for a walk to create momentum.

❄️ Nervous system stimulation:
Try humming, deep breathing with a “voo” sound on an exhale, or even try splashing cool water on your face or wrists to give your nervous system a little boost.

👃Energizing scent:
Use peppermint, citrus, eucalyptus, or another energizing scent to wake up your senses and help you stay aware of your surroundings through sensory stimulation.

These 3 tools can help you work with your nervous system to help you change your state with more ease.

✅ Action step: Choose one gentle activation tool and try it for 30–60 seconds. Notice what shifts.

^{Love, Lola Graham}

Strong social connections are one of the most powerful predictors of well-being, resilience, and longevity, but the depth of these connections matters more than the number of people in your life.

Meaningful connections are built through presence, trust, and shared emotional experience, not just frequent contact. A lot of us are craving more authentic human connections offline.

Here are some tips that can help: 

1. Be fully present: Put away distractions and give your full attention. People feel it, and people want to be around people who listen and care about what they say. 

2. Share something real: Vulnerability builds closeness more than small talk ever will.

3. Be curious: Ask questions and learn about people. Most people enjoy talking about themselves, and everyone likes to feel heard. Get curious about them, their lives and what they have going on. However, this can create connections where people just dump what they have going on onto you. It is important to set boundaries with people who aren’t curious or care about what you have to say and what's going on. 

4. Create shared experiences: Doing walks, projects, meals, or rituals can be a great way to strengthen bonds with others. 

Small shifts in how you show up can turn everyday interactions into deeper, more fulfilling relationships and support both your mental health and long-term well-being.

✅ Action step: Reach out to one person this week and start a conversation that goes a little deeper than usual, ask how they really are, and listen fully.

^{By: Joshua Graham}

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

Place a hand over your heart and remind yourself: I am allowed to slow down. Even small moments of rest matter.

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).}