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 a beautiful being who is more than capable at acheiving whatever you set your mind to. You’ve got this friend!!

Breath is one of the few tools you carry with you at all times. It can calm, energize, steady, or ground you, depending on how you use it. Different breathing patterns send different signals to your nervous system, which means you can gently shift your state without forcing your emotions to change.

Your breath is a powerful way to signal support, connect with your nervous system, and create meaningful pauses to ground you back in your personal power.

All mindful breathing is helpful, no matter the technique. That said, I love playing with different breaths to match my mood. Here’s a breath “menu” you can save to help no matter what your day brings!

Five breath techniques to support different emotional states:

•🌊 When you feel anxious or overwhelmed: Extended Exhale Breathing
→ Inhale for 4, exhale for 6 (or longer). Longer exhales signal safety and help calm the nervous system.

•🌱 When you feel low, heavy, or flat: Gentle Energizing Breath
→ Inhale through the nose, exhale with a hum to gently reset your nervous system. Repeat slowly to invite subtle activation.

•🪨 When you feel scattered or ungrounded: Box Breathing
→ Inhale 4 → hold 4 → exhale 4 → hold 4. A steady rhythm helps anchor attention and stabilize your system.

•💛 When emotions feel stuck: Deep Belly Breathing With a Sigh
→ Breathe deep into the belly (not the chest), and exhale with a sigh to help yourself release built up tension. Imagine the deep inhale mobilizing what’s stuck, and the sigh as a pathway to let go.

•✨ When you don’t know what you need: Simple Awareness Breath
→ Just notice your breath as it is. No changing, no controlling, simply observing to help you come back to the present moment and take a meaningful connective pause..

Breath doesn’t need to fix everything. Sometimes it simply reminds your body: I am here, and I am safe enough in this moment.

✅ Action step: Choose one breath that matches how you feel right now and try it for 3 slow cycles. Notice, without judgment. what shifts.

^{Love, Lola Graham}

Recent research out of the University of Illinois examined what creates stronger bonds between people. They found that savouring moments is a powerful way to do this.

Joint savouring has the most powerful effect for romantic partners, and those who engage in it more frequently tend to have less conflict, more relationship satisfcation and more confidence in their future with one another.

Researchers also saw a secondary benefit to joint savouring: it boosts health and well-being since savouring is slowing down to appreciate and enjoy something.

It can be done about the past, present or future, like reminiscing about an experience, going out for dinner or talking about an upcoming event both people are excited for. Also, if you’re going through a stressful time, making time for joint savouring is even more important.

✅Action step: slow down and savour something today with someone else, call up a friend to talk about a funny memory together, soak in the moment or be excited about something coming up with another.

^{By: Joshua Graham}

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

Take a few minutes to let loose and be silly, letting playfulness restore your soul. At a loss because things have been too serious lately? Try dancing like no one is watching, sing loudly, draw badly, laugh at a favourite meme, or count to 3 and do the first idea that pops into your head!

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!

If you find our newsletter helpful, we’d love for you to share it with a friend! If you’re that friend, you can subscribe here. Thanks for spreading the word! xo

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).}