Welcome, magical being, to Living Well Daily, the newsletter serving up tips to help you live a joyful, healthier life.
In today’s edition:
😊Mental / Emotional Well-Being: Joy as Resistance
💖Longevity & Wellness: Your Metabolic Fountain of Youth
🌱Trauma Healing: Rebuilding Boundaries: Reclaiming Your Power & Self-Protection (Day 1/5)
☀️Journal & Joy Prompts
🧠 Inner Reps: Mental & Emotional Well-Being Interval Workout
👇 And more good stuff, like lots of love from Lola & Joshua, the LWD creators xo
Today’s Edition
May your week be filled with lovely moments, big and small, that make your heart sing with joy like feeling sunshine on your skin after weeks of clouds. You deserve a wonderful week my friend!
Joy as Resistance
The world is a lot right now and in a commitment to not give into cynicism & apathy, I keep coming back to the question “How do we hold joy when the world feels heavy?” I’ve caught myself thinking it can feel almost wrong to let ourselves laugh or rest when so much suffering exists, but then I remind myself: joy isn’t denial, it’s fuel. Without joy, we risk burning out, giving up, and emotional numbness. Practicing joy as resistance means letting it coexist with grief, anger, and compassion. It means allowing ourselves to see what’s going on in the world, and turning to joy for hope so we can stay committed to creating better. It’s an act of defiance against despair, reminding us what we’re fighting for and keeping us connected to the world we want to build.
🌟 How to practice joy as resistance
🌈 Allow joy and pain to coexist: neither cancels the other out.
✨ Make time for small pleasures even when things feel uncertain (you can use the “spark of joy” section in this newsletter to help).
🌿 Share joyful moments with others to build collective resilience.
💬 Talk about joy openly; normalize it as a vital part of activism and healing.
🧘 Remember: joy isn’t frivolous, it’s restorative and revolutionary.
✅ Action Step: Today, pause to notice one moment of joy (a sound, a scent, a smile) and honor it as an act of resilience, not denial.
💪 Your Metabolic Fountain of Youth
Muscle isn’t just for strength or aesthetics; it’s actually an important organ for metabolic health and longevity. Skeletal muscle acts like a metabolic engine, helping your body use glucose efficiently. More muscle means better insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels, and a reduced risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
As you age, you naturally lose muscle (unless you actively work to prevent it), which slows metabolism (because you now weigh less and have less metabolically active tissue) and increases frailty.
The good news is that resistance training and adequate protein intake can preserve and rebuild muscle at any age.
Aim for at least 2 strength sessions per week, focusing on major muscle groups (legs, core, back, arms, etc.). Then pair that with 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight daily to fuel growth and repair.
✅Action Step: If you don’t already resistance train, start with two full-body strength workouts this week using bodyweight, resistance bands, or weights to build the muscle that keeps your metabolism strong and your body thriving for life.
P.S. As a personal trainer for over 10 years, I have extensive experience helping people with resistance training. If you're looking for personalized support, please respond to this newsletter, and we can discuss whether I'm a good fit to support you.
Rebuilding Boundaries: Reclaiming Your Power & Self-Protection
Trauma can blur or break boundaries. Rebuilding boundaries is not selfish, it’s self-protection and self-respect. This week is about learning to honor your edges and reclaim your right to say “this is mine, and that is not” / “I want this, and not that.”
Day 1: Understanding Boundaries After Trauma
Trauma often overrides choice, leaving boundaries crossed or ignored. That feeling of agency lost during the trauma, can leave you feeling like you either: a) don’t have the power to stand up for your needs or b) that it’s safer to follow the wants and desires of others. Learning to reclaim boundaries helps to restore your power, can help you heal, reclaim energy, and build a life that feels more authentic to you. But, it can be scary to start so let’s start with understanding:
🚧 Boundaries are the limits that keep you safe: physically, emotionally, relationally.
🫣 Trauma can make you fear setting them (worrying about rejection, conflict, or danger). You can help build psychological safety around that fear by pausing to assess danger is truly present.
🌱 Healthy boundaries help you feel grounded, respected, and safe.
🛡️ Boundaries are a skill, not a flaw, and they can be relearned. Boundaries are not “bad” or “wrong,” they are a part of respectful relationships.
🛑Boundary vs. ultimatum: A boundary isn’t a way to control or punish another person, that’s an ultimatum. A boundary is about communicating and respecting our own limits.
Darling, don’t give up on yourself, you’re so worth it. Sending love 💕
Make room for play; it’s how your nervous system smiles. Play fuels creativity and connection
📖Journal Prompt:
Building a Caring Relationship with Yourself
What sights, sounds, scents, tastes, and textures make you feel most alive? How can you bring more of those into your week?
🌟Spark of Joy:
Let Little Things Move You
Remember the magic of creation… put your feelings down in words, doodle, draw, or paint, make a meal, in whatever way you want to ‘make’ allow yourself a moment to create. Your life is art.
Today’s Mental and Emotional Workout:
This interval workout will increase your ability to:
Cultivate self-compassion to strengthen your confidence, self-esteem, and sense of worth
Strengthen kindness and nurture connection
Be mindful to respond with intention instead of reacting from stress
In under 8 minutes, you’ll strengthen positive neural pathways for long-term well-being and end the workout feeling better than you started! (Click on the photo below to access the workout)
Thank you for being here!
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).