Clare Hastings
15-02-2025
Wellness: A full time job and how to navigate the trends
Image: Sauna and Plunge in Shoreditch
One man's yoga is another's pottery class, is another's cold water swimming.
Head of Everything sent round an Insta reel the other week by influencer Ryan Lloyd Haynes. It comprised of a list of everything he plans to do in the course of a day to gain a basic wellness lifestyle. It was very funny, and when put into practice, takes him through from waking to a comatose state. He finishes the reel by asking his followers, "Just checking - is everyone else doing that?"
It also prompted comments from 5,515 individuals who added to his list. They are worth a read too. Brushing teeth with a non-dominant hand and subliminals at night to reprogram your mind were among two of many, many pearls.
Wellness industry is promoted at every level, so we are bombarded, as Ryan rightly points out, from every angle. Food, exercise, mindfulness - lifestyle choices become bewildering, and when that happens, the choices cause more stress, which really is bonkers.
In reality, we all know it isn't about every fad. It's about what works for you, the individual, and how you can incorporate some health and calm into your life without it taking over.
One man's yoga is another's pottery experience, is another's Wim Hof.
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Back in the day, it used to be called "chilling out," or in my mum's day, "a hobby." It is all about giving yourself time to literally breathe. Everyday lives are exhausting, and I guess cavemen didn't fancy wooly mammoths much - it is all about how you deal with it.
Here at The Indytute, we are pretty keen on living well. Head of Everything can be regularly spotted braving the elements sea swimming, and she would rather go for a sauna on her birthday than eat cake. Obviously, I would rather eat the cake, but I also swim (pool for me), love walking, and embrace a class in pretty much anything at all.
Just concentrating for a couple of hours on an activity is very therapeutic and, for goodness' sake, gives you something to talk about. I am yet to try my hand at pottery, which is very zen. I love everything about a handmade pot, especially pinch pots, where the fingers of the potter are pressed into the clay. It makes me feel better just looking at one.So don't survive, thrive. It's easier than you think…