Dancing Into Emotional Wellbeing: A Year of Living Well-ishly Begins

When was the last time you truly moved — not just walked or exercised, but swayed, spun, or laughed your way across a room?

For me, it was at a Friday morning disco class. I showed up, a little nervous, wearing all black but with bright turquoise trainers — a quiet nod to that day’s theme. My body, after a couple of midlife years of feeling rigid and cautious, was ready (though uncertain) to wake up again.

That class, led by the radiant Cheryl Sprinkler, became more than just a workout. It became a micro-adventure into reconnecting with my body, my emotions, and my life — and a surprising beginning to the year-long experiment I’m calling A Year of Living Well-ishly.

This month, we’re focusing on how our bodies might be speaking to us — and how we can learn to listen. One powerful way to start? Dance.

Why Dance? The Science Behind the Joy

Dance isn’t just fun; it offers a range of benefits for our emotional wellbeing. Here’s why moving to music can transform not only your body but also your mood and mind:

Emotional Regulation & Mood

Mood Lift & Stress Relief

Dancing to your favourite tunes releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin — the “feel good” chemicals that lift your spirits. Research shows that even a short dance session reduces stress, lowers cortisol, and boosts mood.

Processing Difficult Emotions

Sometimes, words just aren’t enough. Dance gives us a non-verbal way to express feelings like grief, frustration, or joy, helping us process what’s been sitting unspoken in our bodies.

Combating Depression & Anxiety

Structured dance programmes (even as short as six weeks) have been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety — sometimes even outperforming other forms of exercise in emotional benefits.

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Embracing Yourself: Confidence, Growth & Body Positivity

Boosting Self-Esteem

Learning a new move or simply letting go in a dance class offers a real sense of achievement, building confidence and emotional resilience.

Body Acceptance

Dance encourages us to notice what our bodies can do, rather than focusing on how they look. Moving freely fosters self-compassion and a healthier body image — especially important for those in midlife navigating shifts and changes.

Resilience Through Movement

By reconnecting with your body, reducing stress, and staying present, dance helps you better manage life’s challenges and bounce back from emotional setbacks.

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The Power of Connection: Dancing Together

While dance can be deeply personal, it’s also beautifully communal.

Belonging & Community

Dancing in a group — whether in a church hall, at a party, or even a Zoom class — creates a shared rhythm, a sense of togetherness that fights isolation and fosters connection.

Shared Joy & Laughter

In that Friday disco class, it wasn’t just the music or the moves; it was the glances between women, the laughter when someone went right instead of left, the quiet understanding that we were all there for something bigger.

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Your Invitation: Join Me on This Well-ish Journey

This year, I’ll be sharing weekly (or so) micro-adventures — small but powerful experiments in feeling better, reconnecting with ourselves, and making wellbeing more playful and accessible.

This month’s theme: How are you listening to your body?

This week’s invitation: Try dancing — wherever and however you like. Take a class, dance in your kitchen, or just put on a song that makes your shoulders shimmy. To read more about how why I’m starting out with dancing click here.

Let’s do this together. Share your stories on Substack or socials, tell me what music moves you, and let’s build a community of women exploring what wellbeing means for each of us — imperfectly, joyfully, together.

Want extra support? Join The Wellery and join one of our two Co-Wells where we explore these themes in community.

How to Find Calm When Life Feels Overwhelming: 5 Daily Practices for Mental Wellbeing

When life feels overwhelming, it’s hard to know where to begin. You’re juggling a million things, and the thought of carving out time for self-care seems impossible. But what if you could start with just 5 minutes a day? A small pause to breathe, reflect, and recharge—right in the middle of your busy life.

We often think of wellbeing as something that requires big gestures—a week at a retreat, a long vacation, or a complete lifestyle overhaul. But the reality is that true mental wellbeing comes from the small, consistent actions we take each day. When stress is mounting and you’re feeling frazzled, these daily practices can help bring calm and clarity to your life.

Here are five easy practices to incorporate into your day:

1. 5-Minute Breathing Breaks:

   A simple deep-breathing exercise can calm your nervous system and help you regain focus.

2. Journaling for Reflection:

   Spend a few minutes writing about your thoughts or emotions. It doesn’t have to be deep—just getting things out of your head and onto paper can feel like a release.

3. Unplugging from Tech: Take intentional tech-free moments during your day, whether it’s during meals or a 15-minute screen break.

4. Connecting with Nature: Even a short walk outside can provide a fresh perspective. If you can’t get outside, bring nature indoors with houseplants or open windows.

5. Gratitude Practice: Reflect on 1-2 things you’re grateful for each day. This simple practice can shift your mindset and help you appreciate the positives, even in challenging times.

By starting small, you’ll find it’s easier to manage your stress and feel more grounded. And if you’re looking for more structure and support to make these habits stick, the Everyday Retreat is designed to help you do just that, with live meet-ups and daily lessons that fit right into your schedule.

With just 10 minutes a day, you’ll be able to create space for calm in your life. These small practices add up, helping you navigate overwhelming days with more ease, clarity, and a deeper sense of wellbeing.

Ready to dive deeper? Join our live Everyday Retreat and explore these practices with expert guidance and support. Join as a paid Substack Member and get access to this course from April 7 for free.

The Lost Together Book Club | Atlas of the Heart

““I want this book to be an atlas for all of us, because I believe that with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves. Even when we don’t know where we are.””

— Brene Brown

This is the first month of our Lost Together Book Club where we figure out how to live the books we love — not in an imaginative daydreamy way but in a what-next kind of way. (Read this kick-off post if you missed it).

This book club is for anyone who believes that the right book at the right time can change lives, but also that there are so many books at all times to change our lives in so many ways, it’s all become a bit overwhelming.

In this group, we’ll experiment with the concepts we’ve read, try to apply them to our own lives, and share what we’ve learned. What worked, and what didn’t? What did we discover? What did we let go of? What do we want to take forwards?

So, choose one book. Start reading. And I’ll see you in the Zoom meet-ups to see what you learned, and what you’re curious to try. You just need to register below.

Our Emotions Pick this month is:

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Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown

This is the book that inspired my path to train as an Emotions Coach Practitioner. When Brene Brown turns her formidable attention to what it means to live a life full of all the emotions you know there’s something meaningful going on there.

This book will help you learn to recognize and name your emotions. Research is now showing that this leads to ‘greater emotional regulation and psychosocial wellbeing’.  But when asked, many of us can name just 3 emotions – happy, sad, and angry.

Brene shows 87 emotions and experiences that include such things as bittersweetness, resignation, amusement, anguish, and wonder.

I added this one so we can broaden together our understanding of emotions, and what to do when we realize they are there, doing all their magical and confounding work.

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To join this month’s Lost Together Book Club head to Substack.

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