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 have gone through storms, and yet you are still here being your badass self.
You inspire us and others.
Keep being you!

Overwhelm often isn’t about one thing. It’s about too many things competing for your attention at once.

When your brain senses overload, your nervous system shifts into urgency mode. Thoughts speed up. Breathing gets shallow. Everything feels equally important. But your body can’t solve five problems at once.

The fastest way to reduce overwhelm isn’t doing more. It’s reducing cognitive load. Here’s a simple reset you can use.

🧠 Step 1: Externalize the Swirl (45 seconds):
Grab a piece of paper (or your phone notes). Write down everything currently pinging your brain. No organizing. No filtering. Just dump it out.

This signals to your brain: “It’s stored. I don’t have to hold it all.” (Bonus: say this to yourself lovingly).

🫁 Step 2: Slow the Exhale (30–45 seconds):
Take a slow breath in for 4 seconds. Exhale for 6 or 8.

Longer exhales activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the body’s calming response. Do 3–4 rounds.

🎯 Step 3: Shrink the Focus (30 seconds):
Look at your list and circle just one thing. Ask: “What is the next smallest step I can take?” Not solve it. Just start it.

Overwhelm shrinks when focus narrows. Small steps help regulate big feelings.

✅ Action step: Try this ritual the next time everything feels urgent. Choose one small step and begin.

^{Love, Lola Graham}

Last week, I talked about how research shows switching out 1 hour or more of TV can improve your mental well-being. We got feedback that people want to see some ideas of what to do instead.

Here are 5 hobby ideas that support both mental and long-term brain health.

📘 Reading
Regular reading is protective of cognitive function as you age. Fiction in particular has been linked to greater empathy and stress reduction. It can be a relaxing and fun way to keep your brain healthy as you age.

🧑‍🍳 Cooking
Cooking at home is linked to better diet quality, including significantly more frequent intake of vegetables and fruits. Cooking can also be a good creative outlet, and it is a skill that gives you more control over what fuels your body.

🐦Birdwatching and/or Nature Observation
Spending intentional time observing nature has been shown to lower stress and improve attention. Even brief, intentionally mindful time spent in nature can calm your nervous system. Plus, it can be a good way to stay active.

🧩 Puzzles and Strategy Games
Crosswords, puzzles, chess, board games, and Sudoku all challenge memory, reasoning, and problem-solving. Mentally stimulating activities are associated with stronger cognitive function over time.

🎵 Learning a Musical Instrument
Music practice engages multiple brain regions at once, including memory, coordination, and emotion. It can be a fun and powerful full-brain workout!

There are many other beneficial hobbies out there; these are just a few of them. When you start a new hobby, have patience with yourself!

✅ Action Step: Pick one of these hobbies or another beneficial hobby and spend at least 20 focused minutes this week doing it.

^{By: Joshua Graham
Sources: PMID 32498728, PMID 25245799, PMID 33946197, PMID 24989949}

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

Close your eyes and picture (or think about) a calm place, real or imagined, and rest there briefly.

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).}