From Overwhelm to Wellbeing.
Dear Friend,
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the difference between wellbeing and being well. When I was having a cuppa with my friend Lou the other day, it struck me that the two aren’t quite the same thing - though they’re deeply connected.
Wellbeing feels like the big picture - the state of our overall health and balance across body, mind, and spirit. It’s the vision we hold of living a life that feels grounded, joyful, and whole. But being well feels more like the daily practice of tending to that vision. It’s in the small things - the pauses, the choices, the little habits - that we actually make space for wellbeing to take root.
I think so often we imagine wellbeing as something we’ll get to one day - when life slows down, when the stress eases, when we’ve ticked everything off the list. But the truth is, we’re invited to be well right now. Not perfectly, not all at once, but in simple, consistent ways. Maybe it’s stepping outside for a breath of fresh air, keeping a glass of water nearby, reaching out to a friend for a chat, or giving ourselves permission to rest. These small acts aren’t insignificant, they are the quiet building blocks of resilience and peace.
What’s beautiful is that when we choose to be well in these little ways, they accumulate. They strengthen us so that our sense of wellbeing isn’t just an idea - it’s something lived and felt.
I want to encourage you (and remind myself, too!) that caring for our wellbeing doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. It begins with gentle, daily rhythms. Little practices of kindness toward ourselves. And over time, those practices create a life that feels more whole, steady, and alive.
With love,
Lauren
Lauren Harkness
Canberra, ACT
Founder, At Her Table
